Claudia Gadelha Injured, Out Of UFC Fight Night 64
The female version of Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor will have to wait.
Unfortunate news has arrived that Jose Aldo’s Nova Uniao teammate and top-ranked UFC women’s 115-pound competitor Claudia Gadelha has been forced out of her UFC Fight Night 64 bout against Conor McGregor’s teammate Aisling Daly due to a back injury.
Gadelha described the situation to her fans on Instagram (via Combate) but has since taken down the post:
“People, it is with great sadness that I have been communicating my day fighting out April 11 in Poland. I had a muscle spasm in my back in wrestling training and feel much pain to move the neck and arms. I have to be 20 days away from the training, which will not let me fight in 17 days. I apologize to fans waiting anxiously for this fight. I hope to face Aisling Daly soon to honor Brazil against Ireland, as she talks nonsense like your training partner McGregor! ! Soon I will be back even stronger!!!”
The No. 2-ranked Gadelha was arguably fighting for the next women’s strawweight title shot against The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 20 veteran Daly. The Brazilian bombshell lost the first fight of her MMA career in a highly controversial split decision to newly crowned champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk at last December’s UFC on FOX 13, a bout in which she fared much, much better than former champion Carla Esparza did in her recent bout against Jedrzejczyk.
The setback should not compromise her status as one of the elite contenders in the still-developing women’s strawweight division.
Daly recently picked up her first UFC win over Alex Chambers at the TUF 20 Finale after losing to Jessica Penne on the show. It remains unknown if she will receive another opponent or be taken off the UFC’s debut in Poland altogether.
Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
