Mizuto Hirota pulled from UFC Fight Night 117 ‘due to health and safety concerns’

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was forced to retool its UFC Fight Night 117 fight card less than 24 hours before the first bell, after featherweight veteran Mizuto Hirota was deemed medically unfit to compete.

From the official release:

"Due to health and safety concerns, the UFC featherweight bout Hirota vs. Rosa at UFC Fight Night Japan: Saint Preux vs. Okami has been cancelled, as Hirota was deemed unfit to compete by the UFC medical team.

UFC Fight Night Japan: Saint Preux vs. Okami will proceed as scheduled with 10 bouts at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Moving to the main card will be the flyweight bout between Jussier Formiga and Ulka Sasaki.”

Hirota struggled to make weight and came in five pounds heavy.

Charles Rosa will no longer be a part of tonight’s (Fri., Sept. 22, 2017) fight card on FXX inside Japan’s Saitama Super Arena but is expected to be rebooked for an upcoming card. As a result, the Fight Pass portion of the UFC Fight Night 117 prelims has been eliminated.

To see the reworked line up click here.