Soa Palelei off UFC 161 card; remains as a backup

Unfortunate news today with confirmation that Soa Palelei has been left without a match-up for the UFC 161 fight card following a reshuffle of the fight card. With the loss of UFC 161’s headlining fight between UFC Interim Bantamweight Champion Renan Barao and Eddie Wineland, UFC officials announced that a battle between Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson will now headline the event in a three-round fight.

Barao was forced out after tearing ligaments in his foot preparing for the event which is scheduled for the MTS Centre in Manitoba, Canada on June 15. UFC officials are attempting to find a replacement for Wineland, with MMAJunkie.com being the first to report that a heavyweight clash between Roy Nelson and Stipe Miocic has been added to the main card. Should an opponent be found for Wineland on short notice, the main card will feature six fights instead of the normal five fights on a Pay-Per-View main card. 

Western Australian heavyweight Soa Palelei was set to meet Stipe Miocic on the card and has made himself available to act as a replacement should any of the four heavyweights scheduled for the event be forced out due to injury. Should that no occur, sources reveal to Fight News Australia that Palelei may not get an opportunity until a UFC event in August.

When he does enter the octagon, it will be Palelei’s second time in the UFC after previously losing to Eddie Sanchez back in December, 2007. With eight wins on the trot including a first-round knockout over Sean McCorkle, Palelei got resigned to the UFC earlier this year.

Main Card:

• Rashad Evans vs Dan Henderson
• Mauricio Rua vs Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
• Pat Barry vs Shawn Jordan
• Alexis Davis vs Rosi Sexton
• Roy Nelson vs Stipe Miocic

Preliminary Card:

• Jake Shields vs Tyron Woodley
• Sam Stout vs Isaac Vallie-Flagg
• Ryan Jimmo vs Igor Pokrajac
• Yves Jabouin vs Dustin Pague
• Sean Pierson vs Kenny Robertson
• Mitch Clarke vs John Maguire
• Roland Delorme vs Edwin Figueroa