Former UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz has suffered a broken arm and he is off of the upcoming UFC 219 card, where he was set to fight Jimmie Rivera.
MMA Fighting was the first to report the news.
Rivera is expected to remain on the card at this time because UFC officials are looking for a replacement opponent for him to battle. MMA Fighting is also reporting that bantamweight fighter John Lineker is petitioning the UFC to step in and fight Rivera, but no official announcement has been made at this time.
Rivera (21-1-0) has won all of his bouts thus far under the UFC banner, defeating Marcus Brimage, Pedro Munhoz, Iuri Alcantara, Urijah Faber and Thomas Almeida. Rivera is also a former King Of The Cage Bantamweight Champion, defeating Abel Cullum at KOTC: No Mercy in 2010 to win the gold. Rivera also competed on the UFC Ultimate Fighter 14, losing to Dennis Bermudez in the opening round of the reality show.
UFC 219 takes place on Saturday, December 30 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with no main event announced at this time. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
