Here we go again.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has yet another injured fighter and yet another fight card shake up, this time it impacts UFC on FX 4, which will take place at the Revel Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, N.J., on June 22, 2012.
The mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion recently revealed that Rich Attonito sustained an undisclosed injury in training that will force him out of his upcoming Welterweight tilt with Rick Story in the "Garden State." Hard-luck Swede Papy Abedi has reportedly agreed to step in on relatively short notice and attempt to score his first win inside the Octagon against "The Horror."
Abedi, who was undefeated prior to his UFC debut in 2011, has since lost back-to-back fights to Thiago Alves late last year and then James Head more recently just last month. Both losses came via submission (rear naked choke), which is clearly a gaping hole in Abedi's game that he'll need to try and plug real fast against a well-rounded fighter with a strong wrestling base like Story.
Then again, it probably wouldn't surprise too many fight fans if Story decides to bang with the powerful Judo player.
Story, meanwhile, is in the midst of a two-fight losing skid, dropping back-to-back unanimous decisions to Charlie Brenneman and Martin Kampmann, respectively. Prior to the setbacks, "Horror" reeled off six straight victories, including decision wins over top division stalwarts Johny Hendricks and Thiago Alves.
His performance in South Jersey will go a long way toward establishing whether or not he was a contender or just a pretender.
UFC on FX 4 will feature a Lightweight showdown between Gray Maynard vs. Clay Guida in the main even of the evening. It will also mark the welterweight debut of Dan Miller, who takes on Ricardo Funch in main card action, among other bouts.
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