UFC Auckland: Fight Night 168 loses another fighter to injury

The UFC's return to Auckland has lost a fourth fighter from the card, with Australian lightweight Jamie Mullarkey ruled out of the February fight night due to injury.

Mullarkey (12-3; 0-1 UFC) was scheduled to fight American Jalin Turner (8-5; 1-1 UFC) at the end of next month, but announced on social media he had been injured during training camp.

"Injury has put things on hold for a minute," Mullarkey said. "Shattered is an understatement but it's part of the game we play. I'll be back stronger."

For Turner, it's the second time in as many fights in Australasia that he's been left without an opponent just weeks out from a scheduled fight. Last February, the 24-year-old was booked to fight Alex Gorgees at UFC 234 in Melbourne, but Gorgees was a late withdrawal. Instead, Turner faced Australian Callan Potter, who took the fight on about three weeks' notice. Turner won their bout by first-round knock out.

The UFC are yet to announce a replacement, but could look locally to do so. Australian MMA promotion company Eternal is hosting a fight night in Auckland the night before the UFC card, with some of the top local fighters on the card. At this stage, the Eternal card is being headlined by a lightweight bout between Kiwi duo BJ Bland and Iain Blade.

Bland (14-10), part of the City Kickboxing stable, shapes up as the likely choice if the UFC wanted to book a local fighter, with recent bouts against Potter and Australian Abel Brites - who fought Mullarkey, Potter and Kiwi UFC star Brad Riddell - among his four previous opponents.

"He's a bloke that just doesn't get enough credit," Potter told the Herald of Bland. "BJ Bland is a sensational fighter and I feel he might be one of those local guys who doesn't get enough credit. He's in a big gym with a lot of superstars over there but he would give anyone on the scene, both locally and internationally, a hard time. He's a very, very talented fighter and I hope he does get a shot on the big stage."

There's no guarantee the UFC would offer the bout to a local, however, and could try to find a replacement already signed with the promotion.

Mullarkey's withdrawal from the card makes him the fourth athlete scheduled to fight in Auckland to be removed from the card. Australian Tyson Pedro was also ruled out due to injury, with the UFC then cancelling his bout with Vinicius Moreira rather than replacing him, while flyweight Rachael Ostovich was removed from her bout against Shana Dobson due to undisclosed personal reasons. Ostovich was replaced by Priscila Cachoeira.

UFC Auckland card

Lightweight: Dan Hooker (NZ) v Paul Felder (five-round main event)

Strawweight: Karolina Kowalkiewicz v Yan Xiaonan

Flyweight: Kai Kara-France (NZ) v Tyson Nam

Welterweight: Jake Matthews (Aus) v Emil Meek

Light heavyweight: Jimmy Crute (Aus) v Michal Oleksiejczuk

Lightweight: Brad Riddell (NZ) v Magomed Mustafaev

Heavyweight: Ben Sosoli (NZ) v Marcos Rogério de Lima

Welterweight: Callan Potter (Aus) v Kenan Song

Lightweight: Jalin Turner v opponent yet to be named

Featherweight: Kevin Aguilar v Zubaira Tukhugov

Strawweight: Loma Lookboonmee v Hannah Goldy

Welterweight: Maki Pitolo v Takashi Sato

Flyweight: Priscila Cachoeira v Shana Dobson