Assunção says injury prevented him from accepting a fight against Barão at UFC 173

R. Assunção (left) attacks P. Munhoz (right) at UFC 170. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC

The announcement that TJ Dillashaw will face the rooster champion, Renan Barao, at UFC 173, surprised many people. After all, the Brazilian Raphael Assunção He was considered next in line to fight for the title, as he had even beaten Dillashaw himself at UFC Barueri, in October last year.

However, on his personal Twitter account, Assunção tried to clarify what happened. He stated that he was unable to accept the fight against Barão due to a fractured rib acquired in his last fight, against Peter Munhoz, at UFC 170, at the end of February.

Because of my injury sustained at UFC 170 (fractured rib) I could NOT take the fight for the title against Barão May 24 UFC 173 I am Sorry!

— Raphael assuncao (@RaphaAssuncao) 28 March 2014

“Due to my injury suffered at UFC 170 (rib fracture), I was NOT able to accept the title fight against Barão, on May 24th, at UFC 173. I regret it!”

Assunção, 31 years old, is on a six-fight winning streak in the UFC. His only defeat in the organization was in his debut, in 2011, when he lost to Erik Koch. However, the fight took place when Assunção was still playing at featherweight.

Originally, UFC 173 would have featured a middleweight title fight between Chris Weidman e Vitor belfort. With the ban on TRT in the state of Nevada, Belfort was replaced by another Brazilian, Lyoto Machida. However, Weidman suffered a knee injury and will have to undergo minor surgery, postponing the fight until July. In the co-main event of the night, another Brazilian will be in action: junior gypsy faces the North American of Croatian descent Stipe Miocic.