Jimi Manuwa out at UFC Fight Night 56, Ovince Saint Preux now meets 'Shogun' Rua (original) (raw)

A broken foot has forced Jimi Manuwa out of a planned matchup with Mauricio Rua, and Ovince Saint Preux will step in to take his place.

UFC President Dana White today announced the change in plans. Rua (22-9 MMA, 6-7 UFC) originally was scheduled to face Manuwa (14-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) in the headliner of next month’s UFC Fight Night 56.

Saint Preux (16-6 MMA, 4-1 UFC), meanwhile, was scheduled to fight Francimar Barroso (16-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC) in the event’s co-headliner, but Barroso is now being utilized as a backup in case of any further injuries, a UFC official confirmed with MMAjunkie. Barroso will likely be paid his show money whether or not he fights.

UFC Fight Night 56 takes place Nov. 8 at Ginasio Municipal Tancredo Neves in Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The event’s main card airs live on FOX Sports 1 following prelims on FOX Sports 2 and UFC Fight Pass.

After news of his promotion broke, Saint Preux tweeted, “Blessings happens in mysterious ways…Thank You Lord…When preparation meets opportunity, that equals SUCCESS…”

The fight undoubtedly is Saint Preux’s most notable opportunity to date. Although the former University of Tennessee football player won four straight after transferring from the now-defunct Strikeforce, he suffered a decision setback to Ryan Bader in his most recent appearance.

For Rua, it’s also a step up in competition. Saint Preux is ranked No. 14 in USA Today/MMAjunkie’s MMA light heavyweight rankings, while Manuwa is an honorable mention. Rua is ranked No. 10.

The former UFC champ most recently faced two-time UFC title contender Dan Henderson and was stopped in the third round at UFC Fight Night 38. Since losing the title to current champ Jon Jones, Rua is 3-4 in the octagon.

Barroso, meanwhile, filled in for an injured Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante. He fell short on points against Hans Stringer in March following a debut win over Ednaldo Oliveira at UFC 163.

For more on UFC Fight Night 56, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Ovince Saint Preux)

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