Casey O’Neill Announces Withdrawal From UFC 276 Due to Torn ACL

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A top-flight Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight prospect has just suffered an injury that will keep her out of action for a long time.

On Thursday, Casey O'Neill announced on Instagram that she has suffered a completely torn ACL that will require surgery and a lengthy recovery process. She was initially booked against Jessica Eye at UFC 276, but she has been forced out of this matchup due to this injury. It is currently unclear if Eye will receive a replacement, or if the promotion will book her on another card.

Undefeated as a professional at 9-0, Australia’s O’Neill surged into the promotion on the heels of five wins in the span of less than 18 months. From there, she debuted against Shana Dobson and knocked her out in the second round. A pair of subsequent finishes over Lara Procopio and Antonia Shevchenko – all three of those UFC appearances coming in 2021 – she moved towards ranked competition on the heels of those three stoppage wins. Taking on Roxanne Modafferi in the latter’s retirement fight, she snagged a split decision over the former title challenger to earn a shot at Eye.

The full statement of “King Casey” on Instagram reads as follows:

”Unfortunately I have to announce that I need to withdraw from my upcoming fight on July 2 due to snapping my ACL last week in training.

“I’ve spent the past 7 days trying to continue on but it’s just not possible on a fully torn ACL. I will have surgery, recover and be back better than ever before you know it.

“I’m so sad that I don’t get to perform for you guys, I’m so sad that I don’t get to fight but I am excited to get healthy and rebuild. Thank you to the UFC, Dana White, Mick Maynard, Heather Linden, Dr. Tera Giroux [and the] UFC PI for always taking care of me.

“I am 24 years old and young in this game. I promise you I will be back better than before and the King is still coming for her crown. Love you guys, thank you for the support.”

UFC 276, which does not currently have a headliner, will carry on at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The highest-billed matchup of the evening is a women’s flyweight affair between former bantamweight queen Miesha Tate and Lauren Murphy. Other key fights on the card include a middleweight scrap between Uriah Hall and Andre Muniz, as well as a 185-pound tilt pitting Brad Tavares against Dricus Du Plessis.