Next weekend’s UFC 292 is down one major player, as former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt is out of the event.
News of Garbrandt being forced out of his fight with Mario Bautista was announced by the promotion during Saturday’s UFC Vegas 78 broadcast. A graphic accompanying the news listed TBD as Bautista’s opponent, and it appears the promotion is seeking a replacement for Garbrandt to keep the 30-year old on the card.
Bautista (12-2) has won his last four fights inside the octagon, finishing his last three via submission. Most recently, he forced Guido Cannetti to tap to a rear-naked choke.
Former 135lb champ Garbrandt (13-5) has had a rough go of late. “No Love” had three straight fights fall through against two different opponents before finally getting back in the cage against Trevin Giles at UFC 285 in March. Garbrandt won the fight by unanimous decision.
The nature of Garbrandt’s current injury has not been disclosed, but it’s another missed opportunity for the Team Alpha Male fighter, who has fought just four times since 2019.
UFC 292, set for the TD Garden in Boston, MA on August 19, headlined by a bantamweight title fight between champ Aljamain Sterling and DWCS star Sean O’Malley. The card is set to move forward with the following line-up:
- Aljamain Sterling (c) vs. Sean O’Malley — for the UFC bantamweight championship
- Zhang Weili (c) vs. Amanda Lemos — for the UFC women’s strawweight championship
- Ian Machado Garry vs. Neil Magny
- Marlon Vera vs. Pedro Munhoz
- Chris Weidman vs. Brad Tavares
- Gregory Rodrigues vs. Denis Tiuliulin
- Austin Hubbard vs. Kurt Holobaugh — The Ultimate Fighter 31 lightweight final
- Andre Petroski vs. Gerald Meerschaert
- Andrea Lee vs. Natália Silva
- Karine Silva vs. Maryna Moroz
- Mario Bautista vs. TBD
