UFC Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker was deemed medically unable to compete and pulled from a main event bout against former UFC Lightweight Champion Luke Rockhold at UFC 221.
Yoel Romero was selected as a late replacement to fight Rockhold for the vacant UFC Interim Middleweight Title in Whittaker’s place.
Romero was originally scheduled to fight David Branch at UFC On Fox 28 before all the craziness took place and now Branch doesn’t have an opponent for the card.
Branch has since taken to Instagram to comment on the situation:
Here is a transcript of what Branch said in the Instagram video (transcript provided by MMA Junkie):
“I just got up to take a (expletive) piss, man, and I found out about all this (expletive) right now. I’ve been training my (expletive) ass off, man. I’m away from my family right now, sleeping in the (expletive) gym, sleeping in my gym. (Expletive), man, damn. Things happen. We get injured sometimes. These guys are all real fighters, man. This is the nature of the business. I was just really stoked to fight Yoel. Really excited to right some wrongs in my last fight. These things happen. I’m going to be back in the octagon soon guys. I don’t know against who. I guess I’m just going to go home and sleep now. I don’t know what’s going on. This (expletive) is crazy.”
UFC officials are seeking a late replacement opponent to battle Branch at UFC On Fox 28, but nothing has been announced as of yet.
UFC On Fox 28 takes place on Saturday, February 24 from the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida with no main event announced at this time. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, which airs live on Fox.
