With Geoff Neal forced out of the event, former welterweight champ Robbie Lawler is stepping in to face Neil Magny at the UFC’s August 29 card.
Neal announced Sunday that he had spent a week in the ICU. Although he did not specify the underlying cause, stated that he’d been hooked up to a dialysis machine.
In a statement on Instagram, the fighter said that “These past few week have been crazy, and that’s putting it lightly. It’s really hard to try to find an eloquent way to say ‘I almost died.’ So screw it.. I almost died…. This really put a lot of things into perspective for me. Never did I ever think I would be hooked up to a dialysis machine before my 30s. Everything was going well for me. Was training everyday, making money at work, just signed a contract for a huge fight, then BOOM, life hit me with a check hook. I’m just glad to be home after having to spend 1 week in the ICU. Stay healthy out there y’all and listen to your body at all times.”
Though Neal is on the mend, it’s clear he won’t be fighting any time soon. Enter Lawler (28-14, 1NC). “Ruthless” has lost his has three bouts, to Colby Covington, Ben Askren, and Rafael dos Anjos. His last win came in 2017 when he bounced back from the loss of his title against Tyron Woodley to defeat Cowboy Cerrone at UFC 214. MMA DNA was first to report Lawler’s involvement in the bout.
Magny (23-7) has won two straight, against Li Jingliang and Anthony Rocco Martin.
