Report: Mario Bautista Replaces John Lineker, Meets Cory Sandhagen at UFC Brooklyn

Mario Bautista will replace the injured John Lineker on short notice and face Cory Sandhagen at UFC Fight Night 143.

FloCombat first brought word of the new bout. UFC Fight Night 143, which marks the promotion’s debut on ESPN+, takes place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. on Jan. 19 and is headlined by a flyweight title tilt between Henry Cejudo and T.J. Dillashaw.

A product of the MMA Lab in Glendale, Ariz., Bautista has kicked off his professional tenure with six consecutive wins. Most recently, the 25-year-old outpointed Juan Pablo Gonzalez at Combate Americas “Mexico vs. USA” on Oct. 13. All but one of Bautista’s triumphs have come inside the distance.

Sandhagen is currently on a four-bout winning streak that includes technical knockout stoppages of Iuri Alcantara and Austin Arnett in the UFC.