UFC middleweight Nick Ring of Calgary was set to face Constantinos Philippou at UFC 154 at the Bell Centre in November, but had to pull out the morning of the fight after falling ill and not getting doctors’ clearance.
“Obviously it was upsetting,” Ring told Showdown Joe Ferraro on UFC Central Radio on Sportsnet 590 The Fan Thursday. “Personally, for me, I’ve got sponsors that I had to explain this to, I’ve got friends, I’ve got fan, I’ve got family and that really sucked but at the end of the day it was really out of my hands and in the hands of the doctor. And that’s what he’s there for.”
The fight would have been a big opportunity for Ring, going up against another rising 185-pounder, but instead Philippou was named an injury replacement for his teammate Chris Weidman at UFC 155 and went on to beat Tim Boetsch, which moved him into the top 10 in the middleweight division.
“Hats off to him,” Ring said. “I watched that fight and he performed very well. I don’t really know what to think. I don’t know how our match would have gone but he definitely showed that he’s top-10 material. Oh well. I will get my chance.”
Ring (13-1) was suffering from a respiratory infection that he has fully recovered from and faces his Ultiamte Fighter season 11 housemate Chris Camozzi at UFC 158 in Montreal.
“I remember Chris from the house. We did do a little bit of training together. He was very tough and game. I don’t yet know how I’m going to approach this … it’s a little awkward too because in the house we were kind of buddies … he’s not really the ideal opponent in that regard, but it will make a good fight for the fans.”
Camozzi (18-5) has won three straight fights, his latest being a unanimous decision over Luiz Cane at UFC 153 in Brazil.
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