The first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event of 2017 was dealt a blow today. A bantamweight bout between Bryan Caraway and Jimmie Rivera has been scrapped for the Jan. 15 card. MMAJunkie.com brought word that Caraway suffered an injury that has forced him to pull out. The search for Rivera’s replacement is underway.
It’s a tough break for both men who are coming off the biggest wins of their careers. Caraway pulled off an upset over previously unbeaten prospect Aljamain Sterling back in May 2016. The win shot “Kid Lightening” up to No. 5 on the bantamweight rankings. Caraway has won two straight fights.
Rivera last fought at UFC 203 and was able to outwork the now retired “California Kid” Urijah Faber to earn a unanimous decision win. “El Terror” sits at No. 6 in the 135-pound division. Rivera’s only loss occurred in the second bout of his professional career.
The rest of the Phoenix card remains unscathed. The main card will be headlined by a featherweight clash between rising prospect Yair Rodriguez and UFC Hall of Famer B.J. Penn. Lightweight veteran Joe Lauzon will go toe-to-toe with former Bellator contender Marcin Held. Veterans Court McGee and Ben Saunders will also be showcased.
Stick with MMANews.com for more details on Rivera’s status on the card as they become available.
