Ray Borg just can’t catch a break.
Undisclosed medical issues have ruled Borg out of a flyweight bout with Joseph Benavidez at UFC Fight Night 139, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The person asked to remain anonymous because the news is not yet public.
The promotion will not replace Borg, and the final bout card order is being reshuffled as of this writing.
Reached today for comment, Borg declined to reveal the reason for his removal. Asked about his timetable for return, he said, “We’ll see what the UFC wants to do.”
UFC Fight Night 139 takes place Saturday at Pepsi Center in Denver. The event’s main card airs on FS1 following additional prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass. Borg (11-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) vs. Benavidez (25-5 MMA, 12-3 UFC) had been set for the main card.
Borg’s scratch from the card marks the third of four bookings he’s lost due to issues outside the cage. A title shot against now-former champion Demetrious Johnson at UFC 215 was canceled the day prior due to a bad weight cut. Borg lost a rescheduled bout at UFC 216 via fifth-round submission.
A UFC 223 bout against Brandon Moreno was canceled when Borg’s eye was hit by flying shards of glass during Conor McGregor’s infamous bus attack. And a rescheduled booking at UFC Fight Night 129 was called off when Borg’s son was hospitalized prior to brain surgery.
As a UFC flyweight, Borg is 5-3 in the octagon.
Benavidez hoped to rebound from a June loss to Sergio Pettis, which snapped a six-fight winning streak. The 34-year-old vet has been chasing a third title shot after a pair of losses to Johnson, who lost the belt to Henry Cejudo in August at UFC 227.
For more on UFC Fight Night 139, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.
