An injury has forced Melendez to withdraw from “The Ultimate Fighter 28” finale. As a result, Rick Glenn will step in for “El Nino” and face Arnold Allen in a featherweight tilt at the Pearl at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas on Nov. 30. The promotion announced the change on Monday.
The “TUF 28” finale is headlined by a welterweight showdown pitting Rafael dos Anjos against Kamaru Usman. The card will likely be televised on Fox Sports 1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.
Melendez, 36, hasn’t competed since September 2017, when he suffered a leg injury en route to dropping a unanimous verdict against Jeremy Stephens at UFC 215. The Skrap Pack representative is on a four-bout skid dating back to 2014.
Glenn has won three of his last four Octagon appearances, including a split verdict against Dennis Bermudez at UFC Fight Night 133 on July 14. Arnold, meanwhile, has won six bouts in a row, four of those within the Las Vegas-based organization.