Weidman out of UFC 199 rematch vs. Rockhold

Jacare Souza is already in shape and is the logical choice to replace Chris Weidman against Luke Rockhold at UFC 199 on June 4 in L.A.

Jacare Souza is already in shape and is the logical choice to replace Chris Weidman against Luke Rockhold at UFC 199 on June 4 in L.A.

Published on Tuesday, 5/17/16, at 6:24 p.m. Eastern.

Former middleweight champion Chris Weidman pulled out of his UFC 199 rematch against Luke Rockhold earlier today due to an undisclosed injury. This is the fourth time Weidman has pulled out of a title fight in the last 25 months.

Rockhold won the UFC’s middleweight strap from the previously-unbeaten Weidman by routing him by third-round knockout at UFC 194. Rockhold will take a five-fight winning streak into the title defense.

The UFC is actively seeking a replacement for the main event at the Fabulous Forum in Los Angeles on June 4. The obvious choice is Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza, who is already in shape after destroying Vitor Belfort by first-round KO this past Saturday night at UFC 198 in Brazil. Souza didn’t absorb any damage from Belfort in the scrap.

This will be less than three weeks notice for both fighters, but I can’t imagine Souza turning down the fight. If he does, Michael Bisping has already taken to twitter to offer up his services, but Rockhold beat Bisping by second-round submission in November of 2014.

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