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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
T.J. Waldburger has a new opponent for UFC Fight Night 24 this month.
After losing his initially scheduled opponent Dennis Hallman to injury, Waldburger will now meet Johny Hendricks on the card, coming to the KeyArena in Seattle, Wash. on March 26, the UFC has announced.
"Dennis Hallman is out of UFC Fight Night March 26 with a knee injury," UFC president Dana White stated in an official release on Saturday. "Powerful wrestler Johny Hendricks has verbally agreed to replace him against submission specialist T.J. Waldburger in a preliminary fight."
Hendricks looks to get back on track after a disappointing decision loss to Rick Story last December. The unanimous decision loss was the first defeat of his career, snapping his opening nine fight winning streak.
Waldburger will be out to build upon a successful UFC debut at UFC Fight Night 21 last September. The decision win over fellow newcomer David Mitchell was his fourth straight win, coming a year after his previous fight.
UFC Fight Night 24 is headlined by the light heavyweight bout between Phil Davis and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, and airs live on Spike TV.
Penick's Analysis: This is a great replacement on short notice. Hendricks is a major talent in the welterweight division, and though he suffered a setback against Story, this is an opportunity at redemption. For Waldburger, this is a big opportunity to face a fighter that has gotten a lot of exposure over the last couple of years in Hendricks, and it makes for a highly interesting preliminary card fight.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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