A partial rupture of the MCL has forced former Strikeforce light
heavyweight champ Dan Henderson to pull out in his anticipated
showdown against the UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones originally
scheduled for September 1st at Mandalay Bay Center in Las Vegas. The
entire card has now been canceled and Jones is now slated to take on
Lyoto Machida in Toronto on the 22nd.
UFC president Dana White held a press conference today with the
disappointing news. It’s been revealed that recent middleweight title
challenger Chael Sonnen has offered to step in as a replacement, but
Jones and his trainer Greg Jackson did not accept.
White, furious at the fact that Jones was unwilling to put his title
on the line against a late replacement had no choice but to cancel the
entire card.
Sonnen, who twice unsuccessfully challenged Anderson Silva for the
middleweight crown was to face old rival Forrest Griffin later in the
year, but already had his sights on a showdown against Jones. The war
of words had begun through tweets, but it looks like Sonnen will have
to wait his turn.
Jones beat Machida in their initial encounter in last December,
coincidentally, in Toronto where the rematch will take place.
