For the second time in as many months, a lightweight scrap between
Joe
Lauzon and Donald
Cerrone has been canceled on the day they were scheduled to
fight.
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The promotion announced on Saturday that Lauzon was removed from
the
UFC on ESPN 37 bout due to a “non-weight related medical
issue.” Last month, Cerrone became ill on the day of their proposed
UFC 274 clash and the fight was nixed. Lauzon revealed in a video
on Instagram that a last-minute knee issue forced him off the
card.
“So I’m not fighting Cowboy Cerrone tonight,” Lauzon said. “The
freakiest weirdest thing ever: I weigh-in officially, I got sit
down, and I got to put my socks on, I turn my knee out, and my knee
locks out.
“I’ve dealt with meniscus injuries on both knees, but this knee in
particular, had it cleaned out a bunch of times, but when it does
lock up, I can usually straighten out, it unlocks, totally fine,
100 percent, immediately. This time, I’m now surrounded by all the
fighters, commission, Cowboy’s in the room, I’m trying not to make
a scene and let people know there’s not a problem with my knee.
Eventually, I end up hopping on one of my cornerman’s back, acted
like I was choking him like we were joking, but I couldn’t stand. I
couldn’t walk at all.”
Lauzon was absent from Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins due to what
was initially reported as cramps. The Bridgewater, Mass., native
confirmed that statement was just to cover for him in the hopes
that he would be able to compete.
“The reason I didn’t go to weigh-ins yesterday was not because of
cramps, that was kind of the story because they don’t want to sell
me out,” Lauzon said. “I literally can’t put any weight on my left
leg. Like, none. We tried doing an injection, tried to help it out
to num it a little bit to move and manipulate it a little bit
better, that didn’t help. Literally, I can’t stand.
“This is heartbreaking because we’ve done a six-month camp. First,
Cowboy can’t fight, now I can’t fight. Just absolutely horrible.
Weighed in, totally fine, ready to go, and my knee locks up putting
on socks. My brain can’t even process it.
“Now I’m just more concerned about how I’m going to be able to
walk. How am I going to be able to put some weight on my knee? It’s
not even a question of trying to be able to fight, but trying to be
able to function.”
UFC on ESPN 37 will move forward with 13 bouts. The card takes
place at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas and is headlined by a
featherweight showdown between Josh Emmett
and Calvin
Kattar. A welterweight tilt pitting Kevin
Holland against Tim Means has
been elevated to the evening’s co-main event.