Jimmie Rivera finally has an opponent for UFC 219 after former UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz was pulled from the event due to an injury.
The replacement fighter is going to be John Lineker, who has accepted the fight with just over a month to go before the event.
MMA Fighting first reported the news.
Rivera (21-1-0) is currently undefeated in UFC competition, defeating Marcus Brimage, Pedro Munhoz, Iuri Alcantara, Urijah Faber and Thomas Almeida. Rivera hasn’t suffered a loss in over nine years and that lone defeat came to Jason McLean at Ring Of Combat 22. Rivera has seen his last four fights go the distance and it has been over two years since the last time the fighter got a finish.
Lineker (30-8-0) has won seven of his last eight in the UFC, with his last win coming over Marlon Vera at UFC Fight Night Sao Paulo. Lineker has suffered a total of three defeats in the UFC and one of them came to current UFC Bantamweight Champion TJ Dillashaw. Lineker is competing less than two months since his last bout, which is the fastest turnaround the fighter has had in his UFC tenure.
UFC 219 takes place on Saturday, December 30 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with no main event announced at this time. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
