Javier Vazquez will make his anticipated return to mixed martial arts competition on Saturday but not against UFC veteran
Din Thomas.
Just hours before their scheduled featherweight bout, the Vazquez camp confirmed that Thomas bowed out of the match at Fight Force International “Ultimate Chaos” at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Miss. Vazquez, who announced his retirement following a 2007 submission victory against
JC Pennington, will instead lock horns with Mark Kergosien, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu stylist anchored in Mississippi.
“Din pulled out,” said
Romie Aram, a UFC veteran and one of the founders of the Millennia Mixed Martial Arts Training Center, where Vazquez trains. “He had issues making weight and got himself sick.”
Thomas (24-8), an American Top Team product, checked in at 146.6 pounds at the official weigh-in on Friday.
Vazquez (12-2), a four-time U.S. Open Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion, overcame three career-threatening knee injuries to return to the MMA scene after three-year layoff in 2007. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who has remained on the sport’s radar for a decade, Vazquez has twice had to pass up chances to compete in the UFC -- first against
Hermes Franca at UFC 43 in 2003 and again against former welterweight champion
Matt Serra at UFC 46 in 2004. Injuries kept him out of both events.
Vazquez, who has never been finished in 14 career bouts, will carry a three-fight winning streak into his appearance at “Ultimate Chaos.” He holds victories against Shooto legend
Rumina Sato and UFC veteran
Robert Emerson.
TJ De Santis and Dave Mandel contributed to this report.
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