Lineker out of UFC 219 bout against Rivera; Moraes, Kelleher, Vera offer to step in

Just days out from UFC 219, bantamweight star John Lineker pulls out of fight with Jimmie Rivera. Marlon Moraes and Brian Kelleher offer to step in on late notice.

UFC 219 doesn’t really seem like the New Year’s Eve Eve card this year, partly due to fight cancellations and changes and partly due to the lack of promotion that these yearend cards have traditionally received in the past. Now, just days out from the event, one of the biggest fights on the card, Jimmie Rivera vs. John Lineker, is about to change.

MMA Fighting is reporting that Lineker is out of the fight for undisclosed reasons. The UFC is seeking a replacement opponent for Rivera, but at this late juncture, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that we could see the fight cancelled.

Rivera was originally slated to face Dominick Cruz, but an injury forced the former champion out of the fight several weeks ago. Now, on Christmas Eve, he is faced with the possibility of only having one fight this year to date. It’s a prospect that is bothersome to him, to say the least.

As one would expect, suitors for Rivera’s dance card have already started popping up, so maybe the UFC can give “El Terror” (and the rest of us) a Christmas miracle.

I believe I am not alone when I say this,

Please, Krampus, don’t take the opportunity for some good ole Rivera violence from us. We’ll stop misbehaving!

Keep your browser locked on Bloody Elbow, as we’ll keep our readers updated as more information becomes available.