Brazilian bantamweight John Lineker, who was slated to meet Cody Garbrandt on the main card of Fight Night Pittsburgh on Sunday, has been forced to withdraw after contracting dengue fever. The organization has not yet announced whether Garbrandt will remain on the card against a different opponent.
This comes after a welterweight matchup between Brandon Thatch and Siyar Bahadurzada was last week moved to UFC 196 after Thatch failed to receive medical clearance to fight in Pennsylvania.
Lineker, who would have flown to the U.S. tomorrow, announced the news on Monday via social media.
“Everyone knows about the dengue epidemic in our city, and although the necessary precautions were taken, John Lineker contracted dengue,” read a statement posted to the account of Lineker, who hails from Paranagua in the Brazilian state of Parana.
