FORMER BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPION Renan Barao has stunningly pulled out of his main event rematch with TJ Dillishaw at UFC 177 tonight, meaning rookie Joe Soto will get a 135-pound title shot.
It has been reported that Barao passed out during his weight cut in the build-up to the headline fight at the Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, California, the result being that he has been forced to give up his chance at revenge over Dillishaw.
Soto has admitted to his utter surprise to find himself in position to fight for a title on what is his UFC debut. The 27-year-old was scheduled to face Anthony Birchak on the preliminary portion of the card, but has instead been drafted in to replace Barao instead.
UFC officials announced the news just one hour before the weigh-ins in Sacramento.
Soto has a 15-2 record in MMA, and comes into this daunting task off the back of six straight successes. However, those looking forward to a rematch between Barao and Dillishaw will be extremely disappointed with the late switch.
Barao’s withdrawal is the latest blow for the pay-per-view UFC 177, which has been criticised for a relatively uninspiring card. That said, the possibility of a Soto fairytale does add a degree of intrigue.
In the co-main event, TJ Dillashaw’s teammate, Danny Castillo, takes on Tony Ferguson in the lightweight division, in what is unquestionably the biggest fight in both men’s careers.
In 2011, Ferguson won the The Ultimate Fighter 14, and has lost only one of his five fights in the interim. Castillo will be making his 11th appearance under the UFC banner, since crossing over in the mass exodus from the now defunct WEC. He has been successful on seven occasions, including three of the last four.
Stylistically, they match up well; both are strong wrestlers, with decent BJJ, and are capable of rendering each other unconscious with a single punch. It will also be the first time either have fought in a co-main event, so it’s a prime opportunity to catch the brass’s eye, and possibly get a highly-ranked opponent next time out.
The pick of the preliminary card is a flyweight match-up between Scott Jorgensen and Olympic gold-medalist Henry Crejudo, who will be making his promotional debut. Crejudo took gold in freestyle wrestling at the Beijing Olympics and is 6-0 as a Mixed Martial Artist.
Although he has struggled to make the 126 lbs weight limit in the past, Crejudo is expected to do big things in the future. That said, Jorgensen will be no cake-walk.
Coverage starts on BT Sport 1 at 3 am.
This article was originally published at 8.10 and then updated at 11.00 to reflect the change of headline fight.
