March 29, 2024

Antonio Carlos Junior out of UFC Sao Paulo fight against Elias Theodorou

MMAfighting.com

UFC Sao Paulo has taken another hit.

Antonio Carlos Junior is injured and out of his scheduled middleweight fight with Elias Theodorou, sources told MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz on Tuesday. The card is scheduled for Sept. 22.

It’s unclear if the UFC will try to find a new opponent for Theodorou. Theodorou acknowledged on Twitter that he is aware that Carlos Junior is out.

Carlos Junior (10-2, 1 NC) was initially supposed to fight Derek Brunson at UFC 227 earlier this month, but Brunson pulled out due to an eye injury. The Brazilian fighter was removed from that card in Los Angeles and moved to UFC Sao Paulo shortly after. Carlos Junior, 28, who is better known to some fans as “Cara de Sapato” or “Shoeface,” has won five straight, the last three via submission.

Theodorou (15-2) has won two in a row, most recently a unanimous decision victor over Trevor Smith at UFC Liverpool in May. The Canadian, a former winner of The Ultimate Fighter: Nations and, has won four out of five overall. Theodorou, 30, is a former NAAFS middleweight champion.

UFC Sao Paulo is headlined by a light heavyweight fight between Jimi Manuwa and Thiago Santos, who recently replaced an injured Glover Teixeira. On Monday, the card lost its co-main event whenKetlen Vieira fell off with a knee injury and will not be able to fight Tonya Evinger.

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