Leonardo Santos injured, out of UFC Utica fight with Nik Lentz

Leonardo Santos can’t catch a break.

Less than two weeks after the bout’s official announcement, Santos is out of a lightweight bout with Nik Lentz with a hand injury, sources told MMA Fighting. Santos was scheduled to face Lentz at the UFC Utica card on June 1.

Santos (16-3-1) hasn’t fought since Oct. 2016, when he defeated Adriano Martins via decision. The TUF Brazil 2 welterweight winner was slated to fight once in 2017, but Olivier Aubin-Mercier pulled out days before UFC 212 with an injury.

It was the first time since June 2017 that the 38-year-old Nova Uniao athlete was given a fight, but has now been forced to pull out of the card.

Lentz (28-8-2, 1 no-contest) is coming off a second-round submission victory over former Bellator champion Will Brooks in November.

UFC Utica takes place at the Adirondack Bank Center in Utica, NY, and features Jimmie Rivera vs. Marlon Moraes in the main event.

On Friday night, David Teymur called out Lentz on Twitter, indicating that his planned UFC Liverpool bout with Octagon newcomer Don Madge on May 27 could also be off.