Jesse Butler has withdrawn from his upcoming UFC featherweight bout against Sean Woodson due to “protocol,” making it the third time the UFC has had to find a new opponent for Woodson.
Sean Woodson is reportedly having a tough time scheduling a fight for the upcoming weekend. This comes following the news that Jesse Butler was obliged to pull out from his featherweight bout against Woodson, programmed for Saturday at UFC Nashville. The sudden change in the fighting lineup was confirmed by insider sources familiar with the situation.
Butler announced his withdrawal this past weekend, vaguely citing “protocol” as the reason. The 31-year-old fighter recently competed in a lightweight bout at UFC Vegas 74 two months ago. This event marked Butler’s promotional debut, but it ended in a swift defeat as he was knocked out in just 23 seconds by Jim Miller, a seasoned fighter with 42 UFC fights under his belt.
Amidst the developing situation, UFC is currently on the hunt for a new opponent to fight Woodson. This marks the third time UFC officials have been faced with this task, due to Woodson’s initially scheduled opponent, Steve Garcia, also having to pull back due to an injury. Despite these setbacks, Woodson is focused on making his first 2023 appearance and obtaining his first victory since 2021. Last year, Woodson fought in a single match against Luis Saldana, which ended in a split draw. Woodson’s UFC career currently boasts a record of 3-1-1 since signing off from the Contender Series, inclusive of a notable first-round knockout of Collin Anglin at UFC Vegas 42.