Conor McGregor of Ireland (R) during the UFC 197 on-sale press conference event inside MGM Grand Hotel & Casino on January 20, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)" width="636" height="382" /> LAS VEGAS, NV – JANUARY 20: UFC President Dana White squares off Rafael dos Anjos of Brazil (L) and Conor McGregor of Ireland (R) during the UFC 197 on-sale press conference event inside MGM Grand Hotel & Casino on January 20, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
DOS ANJOS DROPS OUT OF UFC 196 DUE TO INJURY
BY UFC FOX Sports
Los Angeles, CA (February 23, 2016)– Lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos has suffered a broken foot that will force him out of the UFC 196 main event against Conor McGregor on March 5 in Las Vegas.
Sources confirmed the news to FOX Sports on Tuesday following an initial report from Globo in Brazil.
Dos Anjos apparently suffered the injury just recently in training and did his best to push through to still fight on the card, but the broken foot was too much to overcome and he ultimately had to make the call to pull out of the fight.
With dos Anjos out of the fight, McGregor is left without an opponent on a card that’s set to take place in less than two weeks.
The latest on UFC Featherweight Champion Conor McGregor
All indications are that the UFC is scouring the roster for a potential replacement to face McGregor on short notice but as of now no one has been confirmed.
McGregor had just traveled from Ireland to the United States for his final week of preparation for a fight that was supposed to be his chance to claim a second title after winning featherweight gold this past December following a 13-second knockout over Jose Aldo.
Assuming McGregor stays on UFC 196, a replacement opponent would almost certainly have to be at lightweight — although officials haven’t even confirmed the change to the main event just yet, so every option remains a possibility. Right now Donald Cerrone and Nate Diaz are possibilities.
As of now, UFC 196 remains without a main event as the promotion scrambles to find someone to face McGregor on short notice. Stay tuned to FOX Sports with more information on the fight card as it becomes available
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