Amir Sadollah out, Matt Riddle in against Jorge Lopez at UFC 143
After dropping off the recent UFC 141 fight card on the day of the event due to an illness, Matt Riddle is quickly returning to action.
UFC officials today announced Riddle (5-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) has replaced injured Amir Sadollah (5-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) and now meets Wanderlei Silva protege Jorge Lopez (11-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) at next month's UFC 143 event.
UFC officials today announced the change.
UFC 143 takes place Feb. 4 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The event's main card airs live on pay-per-view. Preliminary-card bouts, including Riddle vs. Lopez, are expected to air on FUEL TV.
Riddle was slated to fight fellow welterweight Luis Ramos (19-7 MMA, 0-1 UFC) on the preliminary card of this past weekend's UFC 141 event. However, just hours before the show, officials confirmed Riddle was forced out of action due to a lingering illness.
Riddle looks to snap a two-fight losing streak, the first such run of his career. A rare fighter who has fought all of his professional contests in the octagon, he was beaten by UFC newcomer Lance Benoist this past September but was rewarded with a "Fight of the Night" bonus following the UFC Fight Night 25 bout. Riddle also dropped a decision to Sean Pierson at 2010's UFC 124 card.
Lopez made his UFC debut at September's UFC Fight Night 25 event, where he dropped a unanimous decision to Justin Edwards. The result snapped a 10-fight win streak for "Lil' Monster," who had defeated the likes of Waachiim Spiritwolf, Chidi Njokuani, Dave Terrel and David Marshall on the regional circuit.
The latest UFC 143 card now includes:
•Carlos Condit vs. Nick Diaz (for interim welterweight title)
•Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce
•Roy Nelson vs. Fabricio Werdum
•Renan Barao vs. Scott Jorgensen
•Dustin Poirier vs. TBA
•Ed Herman vs. Clifford Starks
•Alex Caceres vs. Edwin Figueroa
•Jorge Lopez vs. Matt Riddle
•Rafael Natal vs Michael Kuiper
•Justin Edwards vs. Mike Stumpf