When Jose Aldo's rib injury forced him to withdraw from probably the most hyped fight in UFC history against Conor McGregor, we suggested that his track record suggested we should have seen it coming.
But it's not just Jose Aldo. These days it seems like main events and co-main events are being changed due to injuries and suspensions at an alarming rate, and after the news which has emerged today that Gilbert Melendez tested positive for banned substances after his bout at UFC 188 in Mexico, and will now be banned for a year meaning the UFC needs to find a new opponent for Al Iaquinta at UFC Fight Night 71, somebody crunched the numbers. And it doesn't make good reading for Dana White.
Melendez's suspension will force the UFC to make its 29th change to a main or co-main event in 2015.
— Michael Carroll (@MJCflipdascript) July 6, 2015
Some are un-avoidable injuries, some are avoidable injuries, some are bans for drug offenses, but that number is far too high for the half-way point of the year.
Dana White does not like it when a fighter is forced to withdraw from a main-event, but what can be done to prevent this trend form continuing?
With a clamp down on banned substances in the form of new drug testing policies, and the physicality of training in fight camps being part and parcel of MMA, you begin to feel that there is nothing that can be done. More events mean more fights which in turn will mean more changes to the card.
All that's certain is that it's very disappointing for the fans, and it's nearly at the point where you can't allow yourself to get excited for an upcoming fight.
There's only so many times that Cathal Pendred can step in too by the way. At this rate he'll be fighting three times on the same card.
