Vladimir Matyushenko Injured, Matt Hamill Draws Roger Hollett at UFC 152… Again
Just as the UFC 152 media call ended, pumping up the main event fight between Jon Jones and Vitor Belfort, as well as the co-main event pitting Joseph Benavidez vs. Demetrious Johnson, UFC Canadian officials announced that the card took a hit.
Vladimir Matyushenko tore his Achilles tendon, taking him out of the fight with returning Ultimate Fighter season 3 product Matt Hamill.
The funny part of the whole thing, however, is that Hamill will now face the fighter he was originally slated to face at UFC 152, the debuting Roger Hollett.
Hamill (10-4) has been in retirement since losing to Alexander Gustafsson more than a year ago, at UFC 133. He was originally slated to return against Hollett at UFC 152, but the opponent was switched to Matyushenko when Hollett fell out of the fight a few weeks ago.
Now, with the injury to Matyushenko, it appears Hollett has had time to recover and will step back into the fight with Hamill.
Hollett (13-3), who fights out of Nova Scotia, gives the Toronto fight card a little more Canadian flavor.
Hollett is riding a five-fight winning streak, including a victory over John Hawk under the Bellator banner, so he doesn’t intend to make it an easy return bout for Hamill.
UFC 152: Jones vs. Belfort takes place Sept. 22 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
