Anthony Pettis Out: Changes To TUF Finale, UFC On Fox 9 Cards

The UFC earlier in the week had to make changes to two upcoming fight cards. The changes stem from current UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis suffering an injury and having to withdraw from his fight in Sacramento December  14.

Demetrious Johnson (right) and Joseph Benavidez will now headline UFC on Fox 9 (Tom Szczerbowski-US PRESSWIRE)

At first, Pettis was still expected to fight in the main event at UFC on Fox 9 against Josh Thomson for the UFC lightweight title, but the injury was deemed too serious to keep the fight. Due to Pettis being the champion, and perhaps the injury not as serious as expected, the UFC chose to remove the fight from the card and replace.

This does not mark the first time Pettis has been removed from a fight card in 2013. He was scheduled to fight current UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo at UFC 163, but an injury forced him out of that card. He was later placed against then UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson at UFC 164, replacing the injured number one contender TJ Grant. Pettis would win by first round submission to win the title, and his fight against Josh Thomson was going to be his first fight to defend his title.

To replace Pettis versus Thomson, the UFC has moved the UFC flyweight championship rematch fight between Demetrious Johnson and Joseph Benavidez to headline UFC on Fox 9 in December. Johnson and Benavidez was scheduled to headline The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale card November 30 in Las Vegas before the switch.

Nate Diaz continues to stir up the drama as he now headlines The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale fight card (mmaweekly.com)

As for The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale card at the end of the month, the UFC will move the highly anticipated rematch bout between Nate Diaz and Gray Maynard, all ready scheduled for the main fight card, to the main event November 30.

The move to have Diaz versus Maynard 2 headline The Ultimate Fighter 18 card did not please Diaz, who took to Twitter to express his frustration towards the UFC paying fighters like Pettis who have been removed from multiple fight cards. Even before the headline fight switch, Diaz had been rumored to be considered being a no show for the fight card in November, but UFC President Dana White has not expressed any concern of Diaz pulling a no show.

The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale card will take place at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas November 30, and UFC on Fox 9 will follow two weeks later on December 14 at the Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, California.

Follow Brandon Boles on Twitter: @BrandonBoles

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(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

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