The deck just keeps shuffling.
With Alessio Sakara forced out of August's UFC 133 event, Constantinos Phillippou (7-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has been pulled from a preliminary card bout with Rafael "Sapo" Natal (12-3-1 MMA, 0-1-1 UFC) and will now face Jorge Rivera (19-8 MMA, 7-6 UFC) on the evening's pay-per-view broadcast.
UFC officials today announced the switch.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has confirmed with sources close to the event that the promotion is currently seeking a replacement opponent for Natal, as well.
Featuring a light heavyweight headliner between Rashad Evans and Tito Ortiz, UFC 133 takes place at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Aug. 6.
Phillippou, a Serra-Longo Fight Team fighter, suffered an elimination-round loss to Joseph Henle on "The Ultimate Fighter 11." However, as a late replacement on the UFC 128 card, he signed a UFC contract and suffered a unanimous-decision loss to Nick Catone. Prior to the setback, the Ring of Combat veteran owned a seven-fight win streak with five stoppage victories.
Rivera looks to rebound from a February loss to contender Michael Bisping. Rivera, who was slowed by an accidental low blow, waged a trash-talking campaign ahead of the UFC 127 co-headliner but ultimately suffered a second-round TKO defeat. Prior to the loss, he entered title contention with four victories in five UFC fights. Three of the victories (over Kendall Grove, Rob Kimmons and Nate Quarry) came via knockout.
Source: With Alessio Sakara out, Constantinos Philippou faces Jorge Rivera at UFC 133