UFC FN 30: Bisping Withdraws, Machida to Fight Munoz
By FCF Staff
UFC Fight Night 30 has received a significant change to the October 26th card, as the promotion has announced that Michael Bisping has been forced to withdraw from the main event. Stepping in for the middleweight contender against Mark Munoz will be Lyoto Machida, who had been scheduled to fight Tim Kennedy on November 6th.
Word of Bisping’s withdrawal was reported by ESPN.com first, which relayed that the British fighter has dropped out due to an eye injury. According to the report Bisping is having complications in the same eye that incurred a detached retina earlier in the year.
UFC President Dana White was quoted saying in the story: “We’re going to get him the best treatment possible. Hopefully he’ll be able to get through this thing.”
Machida was set to battle Kennedy at “Fight for the Troops III”, in what would have been his first bout at middleweight. Now the former light-heavyweight champ will face Munoz, who is the promotion’s #5 ranked middleweight and is coming off a UD win over Tim Boetsch.
Machida will be looking to rebound from a decision loss to Phil Davis at UFC 163, after defeating Ryan Bader and Dan Henderson in consecutive fights.
A replacement for Kennedy has yet to be determined.
UFC FN 30 will be hosted by the Manchester Arena and will be broadcast throughout the U.S. on FOX Sports 2.