UFC 287 faces a setback as Li Jingliang withdraws from his scheduled matchup with Michael Chiesa due to a potential surgery-requiring injury.
UFC 287 has experienced a setback due to an injury sustained by Li Jingliang. Multiple sources have confirmed that Jingliang will no longer be competing against Michael Chiesa in the scheduled match on April 8 at the Miami-Dade Arena in Miami. While Chiesa is still expected to remain on the card, a new opponent has not yet been named.
Over the past weekend, videos surfaced on the Chinese social media app Douyin of Jingliang announcing his withdrawal. In the videos, he cited an injury that might require surgery. Jingliang, nicknamed “The Leech,” had hoped to bounce back from a split-decision loss to Daniel Rodriguez at UFC 279 in September. His record has alternated between wins and losses in his last six Octagon appearances.
Meanwhile, Michael Chiesa had been on a four-fight winning streak between December 2018 and January 2021 but has since lost two consecutive bouts to Vicente Luque and Sean Brady. With a replacement opponent yet to be confirmed, UFC 287 will mark Chiesa’s first fight since November 2021 if he participates in the event.