Li Jingliang is out of his struggle towards Michael Chiesa.
On the Chinese language social media platform Douyin (H/T Meni Mayer of MMA Concepts), the UFC welterweight introduced he was compelled to withdraw towards Chiesa at UFC 287 resulting from a backbone damage that might require surgical procedure.
In his previous six appearances, Jingliang has alternated between wins and losses. After returning to the win column lately with a ‘Efficiency of the Evening’ awarded second-round TKO of Muslim Salikhov at UFC Lengthy Island in July, the ‘Leech’ misplaced a controversial break up resolution to Daniel Rodriguez at UFC 279 this previous September.
Chiesa has not fought since struggling a unanimous resolution loss to Sean Brady at UFC Vegas 43 over a 12 months in the past. That was the second consecutive loss for the ‘Maverick,’ who additionally fell brief towards Vicente Luque.
Per Mike Heck of MMA Preventing, the UFC is trying to find a short-notice substitute for Chiesa. Among the many names who’ve provided to fill in towards the Final Fighter 15 winner was Kevin Lee, the lately re-signed UFC staple who already holds a first-round submission win over Chiesa.
The ‘Motown Phenom’ claims his former foe turned down the potential rematch. Nevertheless, a consultant for Chiesa says that was categorically false.
“Or, factually, that is full bulls—t and NOT A SINGLE NAME has been provided as a substitute possibility but,” tweeted Daniel Rubenstein. “Nonetheless to be decided if Chiesa stays on the UFC 287 card. My intestine tells me him sharing the identical supervisor as Jingliang, his supervisor provided to place him in and he was shot down.”
If no opponent is discovered for Chiesa, then UFC 287 strikes ahead with 13 fights. The upcoming pay-per-view occasion goes down on Sat., April 8, on the Miami-Dade Area in Miami, Fla.
Concerning the writer: Kristen King is a author for Bloody Elbow. She has coated fight sports activities since 2016. (full bio)
