Tarec Saffiedine lands a punch against Jake Ellenberger during their UFC Fight Night matchup. (Photo : Getty Images/Elsa)
UFC 207 had a fight card filled with exciting matches ranging from veterans taking on fellow experienced fighters, to up and comers striving to make a name for themselves. However, just like in any other sport, injuries happen and a number of fights have been promoted to the main card on Dec. 30, Friday.
For a number of years, Cain Velasquez was a dominant force in the UFC, even becoming the champion of the heavyweight division. The same could be said for his scheduled opponent, fellow ex-heavyweight titleholder Fabricio Werdum. However, Velasquez was recently forced to pull out of their contest due to injury, MMA Junkie reported.
This means that one fight from the preliminary card will be promoted to the main pay-per-view card. This also means that a fight that was originally supposed to air on UFC Fight Pass will now be billed as a bout on the preliminary card on Fox Sports 1, to take the place of the promoted fight.
The slot that would have been used for Velasquez vs. Werdum now goes to the welterweight showdown between Korean veteran Dong Hyun Kim and former Strikeforce champion Tarec Saffiedine. Both men are looking to get there career back n track and the pay-per-view appearance, and potential win, will do wonders for both fighters.
Taking the slot that the aforementioned match-up originally had after being promoted from their Fight Pass spot is another welterweight contest, but this time it is between Brandon Thatch and undefeated prospect Niko Price. This leaves only the contest between Tim Means and Alex Oliviera on the Fight Pass card, according to Campus Sports.
Due to these shake-ups, UFC 207 now only has 10 fights in its schedule. However, this does not mean that it is an event to sleep on, as it will feature fights showcasing the skills of the likes of champions Amanda Nunes and Dominick Cruz. This event will also feature the return of the dominant Ronda Rousey to action in the Octagon.
UFC 207 will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Watch a preview of the match here:
