SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) β T.J. Dillashaw will be making his first UFC title defense against a last-minute replacement.
Renan Barao was removed from the rematch against Dillashaw (11-2) after reportedly feeling ill during his weight cut. He was replaced by bantamweight Joe Soto (15-2), who was scheduled to fight the undercard against Anthony Birchak.
Dillashaw and Soto are scheduled for a five-round bout headlining UFC 177 on Saturday night in Sacramento, a little more than 80 miles from where the current champ grew up in Angels Camp. Birchak’s new opponent was not immediately announced.
