Fabricio Werdum Joins Cain Velasquez, Pulls out of UFC's Super Bowl Fight Card

When it rains, it pours for the UFC.

Less than 24 hours after UFC President Dana White announced heavyweight top contender Cain Velasquez was pulling out of the UFC 196 main event due to a back injury, MMA Fighting's Guilherme Cruz revealed heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum is joining him.

"I was already injured," Werdum told the Brazilian media (h/t MMA Fighting's Cruz). "I have a foot injury, and haven’t been able to throw kicks in training for two weeks. I would still fight Cain because I was injured the last time, but I also hurt my back last Friday. I went to the doctor, tried to continue training, but couldn’t spar as I should spar."

Brandon Magnus/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images

Just two weeks removed from the event, the UFC's annual Super Bowl weekend card now lacks a proper main event, and it's unclear if that can be remedied. 

Most of the UFC's other champions are indisposed at the moment, with Conor McGregor and Holly Holm both booked for UFC 197, Dominick Cruz still recovering from his win over TJ Dillashaw two weeks ago and other champions such as Luke Rockhold and Daniel Cormier likely unable to make weight in time for the event. While the UFC is still looking for a way to keep Werdum on the card, per Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting, it feels unlikely things will change.

"

Was told plan right now is still for Werdum to see a dr. in the next 24 hrs as one last ditch effort but he's banged up. Tough spot for all.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) January 25, 2016"

The card's co-main event, Johny Hendricks vs. Stephen Thompson, lacks the star power to assume top billing, and none of the other fights on the card features current contenders. 

Making matters more complicated, in the hours between Velasquez's withdrawal and Werdum's, the UFC had announced hard-hitting Cleveland native Stipe Miocic was the new heavyweight title challenger. It is not yet known if the UFC intends to pull him from the card, leave him in the main event spot or simply call mulligan on his contender status.

"

Cain Velasquez is out with a back injury. Stipe vs Werdum for the heavyweight championship February 6th. pic.twitter.com/vPRJYJvOjL

— Dana White (@danawhite) January 24, 2016"

The UFC is undoubtedly scrambling to come up with a makeshift solution, but it's unclear if it'll be able to sort everything out in time.