---



UFC 234: Adesanya vs. Silva is an upcoming mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that will be held on February 9, 2019 at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia.


Fight card

Main Card

Middleweight Israel Adesanya vs. Anderson Silva
Bantamweight Rani Yahya vs. Ricky Simon
Womens Flyweight Montana De La Rosa vs. Nadia Kassem
Light Heavyweight Jimmy Crute vs. Sam Alvey

Preliminary Card (ESPN)

Lightweight Devonte Smith vs. Dong Hyun Ma
Featherweight Shane Young vs. Austin Arnett
Flyweight Kai Kara-France vs. Raulian Paiva
Bantamweight Teruto Ishihara vs. Kyung Ho Kang

Early Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass)

Lightweight Lando Vannata vs. Marcos Rosa
Lightweight Callan Potter vs. Jalin Turner
Bantamweight Wuliji Buren vs. Jonathan Martinez



Background

A UFC Middleweight Championship bout between current champion Robert Whittaker (also The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes welterweight winner) and The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen middleweight winner Kelvin Gastelum was expected to headline the event. However, Whittaker was forced to pull out the day of the event due to a hernia in his abdomen and is unable to fight. Israel Adesanya vs. Anderson Silva is expected to serve as the main event.

Ryan Spann was expected to face Jim Crute at the event. However on January 25, it was reported that Spann was forced to pull out due to a hand injury and was replaced by Sam Alvey.

Alex Gorgees was expected to face Jalin Turner at the event. However, it was reported on January 27, that Gorgees was pulled from the card for an undisclosed reason and he was replaced by Callan Potter.



Feb 9 - Fight card & background updated

Robert Whittaker out of UFC 234 title fight with hernia

UFC 234 has lost its headliner just hours before the show is set to begin.

UFC President Dana White told ESPN.com’s Brett Okamoto on Saturday (early Sunday morning locally) that middleweight champion Robert Whittaker is out of his scheduled title fight with Kelvin Gastelum after being hospitalized the night before. He was diagnosed with a hernia and was set to undergo surgery.

https://mmajunkie.com/2019/02/ufc-234-r ... red-hernia



Feb 9 - Fight card & background updated

Rob Whittaker has so much bad luck man!