Mirsad Bektic will no longer meet Renato Moicano next month.
The rising featherweight contender has been forced to pull out of his bout at UFC 231, which takes place Dec. 8 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, due to an injury. FloCombat.com first reported the news Thursday. Bektic suffered a laceration in training, per the report.
Moicano is expected to remain on the card against a to-be-determined opponent.
Bektic is coming off a split-decision win over former title challenger Ricardo Lamas at UFC 225 in June. Bektic is riding a two-fight winning streak, which follows his first career loss in early 2017, an upset knockout to Darren Elkins.
Moicano has won two in a row, with a submission of longtime contender Cub Swanson and a decision over Calvin Kattar earlier this year. Moicano has also only lost once in his pro career; he fell to upcoming title challenger Brian Ortega by third-round submission in July 2017.
In the UFC 231 main event, UFC featherweight champ Max Holloway defends his title against Ortega. If either fighter cannot make it to the fight, Moicano is expected to serve as a replacement. The card also features a vacant women’s flyweight title fight between Valentina Shevchenko and former strawweight champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
