UFC 197 News: Ex-Champ Jon Jones Gets Unlikely Opponent Replacement For Injured Champion Daniel Cormier
UFC 197 got a sudden change of plans over the weekend, after reigning light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier was forced out of the bout due to injury.
In a report by MMA Fighting, Cormier was said to have experienced a "freak injury" while doing some light kickboxing drills during a training session last March 25th. The exact nature of his injury was a rupture interosseous membrane from the fibula on the lower part of his left leg.
Cormier was forced out of the bout after doctors required him to keep himself out of action for four to eight weeks to allow the injury to heal, but no surgery was required. The rematch between Jones and Cormier was slated to take place on April 23rd, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
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The said fight card was in the brink of being in jeopardy, but on Saturday, the UFC announced that Jones would be getting a new opponent for the said night. In another MMA Fighting report, "Bones" will now be facing number six-ranked light heavyweight Ovince Saint Preux.
According to UFC president Dana White, matching up Jones and Saint Preux was "the right thing to do."
"Jon has never lost his title in the Octagon," White said. "He was stripped of his title because of problems outside. It was the right thing to do.. he will fight for the light heavyweight interim title."
Jones was stripped of his title last April, after a string of misdemeanors that go against the UFC's Cod of Conduct. The final straw was Jones' involvement in a hit-and-run accident in Albuquerque, leaving a pregnant woman with a broken arm.
For his part, Saint Preux has won three of his last five fights, against the likes of Rafael Cavalcante, Glover Teixeira, and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, among others. He holds a record of 19-7, with 14 victories by stoppage.
The said fight between Jones and Saint Preux will be for the UFC interim light heavyweight title.
