An injury to John Hathaway has resulted in a short-notice reshuffling of UFC 189's fight card. With Hathaway out, welterweight prospect Brandon Thatch now steps up to fight Gunnar Nelson on the event's main card, while John Howard squares off against streaking Irishman Cathal Pendred. FOX Sports first reported the news.
Hathaway was initially slated to fight Nelson at the July 11 event, while Howard was initially slated to fight Thatch. Instead, Pendred returns to action just two weeks after defeating Augusto Montano at UFC 188.