Kevin Syler won’t have his chance at redemption in the Dana White’s Contender Series, Season 4 premiere Tuesday.
The Bolivian lightweight has withdrawn from the DWCS 27 main event against Kenny Cross, which was scheduled to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. No reason for Syler’s withdrawal is known at this time.
Multiple people with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Junkie of the news Wednesday but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
Promoter Matt Frendo of Lights Out Championship, the promotion for which Cross (10-3 MMA) normally competes, also confirmed the news on Twitter. In a follow-up tweet, Frendo stated that the UFC is considering signing Cross outright instead of finding him a replacement fight for Tuesday.
A Michigan standout, Cross brings an aesthetically pleasing fight style to the cage. A finisher through and through, Cross has won seven of his most recent eight outings, including four straight.
Syler (10-0 MMA) competed on Season 3, defeating a durable opponent, Lance Lawrence, in a lopsided unanimous decision victory. Due to Syler missing weight by 6.5 pounds, however, UFC president Dana White passed on the opportunity to sign him.
With the change, the DWCS 27 lineup includes:
- Kenny Cross vs. opponent TBA
- Ty Flores vs. Dustin Jacoby
- Uros Medic vs. Mikey Rodriguez
- Jose Flores vs. Jordan Leavitt
- Jerome Rivera vs. Luis Rodriguez
Dana White's Contender Series, Season 4 premiere loses Kevin Syler vs. Kenny Cross headliner
