Joanderson Brito has withdrawn from his July 20 UFC Fight Night matchup against Dan Ige due to a leg injury, and Ige is now seeking a replacement opponent.
Joanderson Brito will have to wait to fulfill his wish.
The surging Brazilian featherweight has been forced to withdraw from his requested matchup against Dan Ige. He suffered a leg injury in training, sources confirmed to MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz on Friday.
Brito and Ige were scheduled to face off at the UFC Fight Night event on July 20. The event was set to take place at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas. Brito had called for the matchup after his UFC 301 win over Jack Shore.
Now, Brito is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks. He’ll need that time before being cleared to resume full training. Meanwhile, Ige tweeted Friday afternoon, looking for a replacement opponent.
“Joanderson Brittle is out. Who’s in?” tweeted Dan Ige (@Dynamitedan808) on June 7, 2024.
This news is an unfortunate turn for Brito (17-3-1). He had won five of his first six UFC appearances, including five straight victories. Brito first called to face Ige after an October 2022 win over Lucas Alexander. Since then, he has repeatedly called out Ige after every win.
Ige (18-7) finally granted him that pleasure for July 20. But now, it appears MMA Fighting’s No. 15 ranked featherweight in the world will have to look elsewhere for an opponent.