With No Replacement Opponent Found, Chad Mendes Exits UFC 157 Card

The Team Alpha Male Product confirmed that he will not be competing at the Feb. 23 event via Twitter on Monday. Mendes was originally scheduled to face Manny Gamburyan on the pay-per-view portion of the card, but Gamburyan was forced to withdraw from the matchup after suffering a broken thumb and a fractured elbow.

“Well guys looks like I’m off the Anaheim card. Sucks pretty bad,” Mendes wrote. “I’ll keep everyone updated with what I find out. Sorry.”

The UFC has not made an official announcement regarding the removal of the bout. Gamburyan exited the bout approximately two weeks before UFC 157 was set to take place.

“Manny was injured and no one would step up,” Mendes wrote.

Mendes fought for the featherweight title at UFC 142, falling victim to a brutal knee from Jose Aldo in the first round, the only loss of his 14-bout professional career. “Money” rebounded to post first-round knockout victories over Cody McKenzie and Yaotzin Meza before the end of 2012.

Gamburyan fought just once in 2012, garnering a unanimous decision victory over Michihiro Omigawa at UFC on Fox 4 in August. “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 5 competitor is 3-5 in two stints with the Las Vegas-based promotion.