UFC on FOX 4 main event falls through due to injury
Injury bug strikes FOX.
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According to MMAJunkie.com, UFC middleweight fighter Brian Stann (12-4) is out of his scheduled five-round main event with debuting former Bellator champion Hector Lombard (31-2-1) at UFC on FOX 4 on August 4, due to an undisclosed injury.
This is a big blow to an already weak FOX card, in terms of name value. While Stann is not a superstar/big draw (at least not yet), he is highly marketable, given his war hero background.
Lombard has been riding a 25-fight undefeated streak since 2007. UFC president Dana White had hinted that if Lombard could beat Stann, he would most likely be next in line for a middleweight title shot.
So who's next for Lombard, assuming he remains in the main event slot?
The most obvious choice for business is Michael Bisping (22-4), who is currently scheduled to fight Tim Boetsch (15-4) at UFC 149 on July 21. Bisping is not only a polarizing MMA figure, but one that can talk trash and sell a fight better than most fighters on the roster. Lombard is a knockout artist, but hyping a fight is not exactly his strength. If Bisping-Lombard is booked, it's actually more of a win-win for either fighter, especially for Lombard, considering Bisping was arguably on the wrong side of a split decision loss to Chael Sonnen in many observers eyes earlier this year.
More on this story as it develops.
Check out our interview w/ UFC on FOX 4 headliner Hector Lombard:
