Some things just aren't meant to be. And a fight between Nate Marquardt and Thales Leites might be among them.
For the second time the middleweight bout has been scratched.
This time the 185-pound showdown was set for UFC 81: "Breaking Point" on February 2 from the Mandalay Bay Events Center. However, the Brazilian broke his hand during training and will have to undergo surgery, according to UFC.com.
Here's the snip:
"A broken right hand suffered in training Monday has forced middleweight contender Thales Leites to withdraw from his UFC 81 bout against Nate Marquardt. Leites, winner of three in a row in the Octagon, will undergo surgery on the hand later this week."
No replacement for Leites has been announced at this time and it's unclear if one will emerge in time for the SuperBowl weekend event that is less than four weeks away.
Marquardt and Leites were supposed to face off back at Ortiz vs. Shamrock: "The Final Chapter" in October 2006. However, he was unable to make it into the United States because of complications with obtaining a visa.
Crafton Wallace stepped in at the last minute and Marquardt took him out in the second round via submission (rear naked choke).
Stay tuned for more details. If a replacement is found it should be announced real soon.
Get the latest gear
