Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on
your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the
ESPN app. At 41 years of age with a career often derailed by injury,
Leonardo
Santos once more has to withdraw from an upcoming
appearance. On Monday, Santos (18-4-1) posted on Instagram that his
fight would likely be postponed for undetermined reasons. Sherdog
has learned from sources close to the situation on Thursday that
Santos has been forced out of the matchup against Alexander
Hernandez (12-4) due to a calf injury. Per a subsequent
promotional release, it does not appear that Hernandez will receive
a new opponent at
UFC Fight Night 193 on Oct. 2, and it is unclear if the matchup
will be preserved for a later date. The two lightweights were
booked against one another at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Santos was aiming to bounce back from his first knockout defeat in
nearly 15 years when he succumbed to a literal last-second knockout
at the hands of Grant
Dawson in March. The defeat put an emphatic end to 13-fight
unbeaten streak that had seen the 41-year-old defeat the likes of
Kevin
Lee and Anthony
Rocco Martin on the way up. Inactivity plagued the Brazilian
over the years, averaging just over one fight per year since
emerging from the second season of “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil”
in 2013.
“The Great” too looked to rebound from a loss, as Thiago
Moises beat him on the scorecards in February. The one-time
Legacy Fighting Alliance victor has alternated
wins and losses in his last six bouts, with wins over Chris
Gruetzemacher, Francisco
Trinaldo and Olivier
Aubin-Mercier in that span. On the other hand, the Factory X
export has suffered knockouts at the hands of Donald
Cerrone and Drew
Dober.
UFC Fight Night 193 takes place on Oct. 2 in Las Vegas at the UFC
Apex, and light heavyweights will toe the line in the main event
when Thiago
Santos squares off against Johnny
Walker. The co-headliner sees a potential bantamweight title
eliminator when Aspen Ladd
takes on Macy
Chiasson. Other key matchups on the billing include a
middleweight encounter between Kevin
Holland and Kyle
Daukaus, as well as a welterweight banger between Alex
Oliveira and Niko
Price.
