The UFC 302 pay-per-view card is a matchup down following some disappointing news.
After the promotion stages its return to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for this weekend's numbered event , attention will turn from the flyweight to the lightweight division ahead of UFC 302 in Newark, New Jersey, on June 1.
In addition to the championship headliner between Dustin Poirier and Islam Makhachev, a number of intriguing matchups are set for the undercard. That was originally slated to include the biggest opportunity to date for fan-favorite middleweight Anthony Hernandez.
Having broken into the rankings riding a five-fight win streak, "Fluffy" was gearing up for an opportunity to crack the top 10 against Roman Dolidze.
Hernandez Out Of Dolidze Clash At UFC 302
Unfortunately, the Dolidze vs. Hernandez bout — which was expected to feature on the main card — will no longer be going ahead.
"Fluffy" revealed the news in a post on Instagram, noting that a torn ligament in his hand suffered during a training session has ruled him out of UFC 302 in just over a month's time.
"On Friday while training I sustained an injury, I got my MRI results back this morning and unfortunately due to a torn ligament in my hand, I will no longer be able to fight on June 1," Hernandez wrote. "I want to apologize to the @ufc , my opponent, & the best matchmaker @mickmaynard2 but this was not an injury I could push through. I hope for a quick return and be back in the cage before summer ends. Thank you to all my fans, friends & family for the continued support 🫶🏽 … the journey continues 🧘🏻♂️👹🙏🏽"
The news is no doubt a blow to the UFC 302 lineup, with Dolidze vs. Hernandez pointed to by many as one of the more exciting battles set to play out inside the Prudential Center.
It remains to be seen whether the promotion plans on seeking a replacement for Dolidze or keeping the pairing together for a rescheduled clash down the line.
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