Após cinco derrotas consecutivas, Leonard Garcia é demitido do UFC. Foto: UFC/Divulgação

Leonard Garcia até tentou dizer que se demitiria caso perdesse a luta contra Cody McKenzie no UFC 159, mas o peso-pena nem teve tempo de fazer isso. Após quinta derrota consecutiva no Ultimate, a organização não teve como segurá-lo e Garcia foi mais um atingido pelo facão afiado do UFC.

O “Bad Boy” sempre foi admirado pelos dirigentes da franquia, que afirmavam que o lutador fazia combates emocionantes, porém, desde que retornou ao Ultimate, Garcia venceu apenas um combate, não dando argumentos para se manter no plantel do evento.

Na tarde desta quarta-feira, o lutador usou o Twitter para divulgar sua demissão, mas aproveitou para afirmar que voltará mais forte do que nunca:

Mas Leonard Garcia não foi o único. Pablo Garza, Reuben Duran, Issei Tamura, Bart Palaszewski, Sam Sicilia, Antonio “Pato” Carvalho, Kurt Holobaugh, e Justin Lawrence completam a leva que dá adeus ao Ultimate.

Pat Healy reacts to his win against Caros Fodor during the Strikeforce event at Nationwide Arena on March 3, 2012 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Esther Lin/Forza LLC/Forza LLC via Getty Images)

After injuries forced his two previously scheduled opponents out of the Jan. 12 event, Pat Healy will face Kurt Holobaugh at Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine, company officials told GRACIEMAG.com on Wednesday.

Both fighters have agreed to the match-up, and bout agreements will be signed soon.

Healy (28-16) was first preparing to fight Strikeforce lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez for the title at the event, but a lingering shoulder injury forced Melendez off the card.

“Bam Bam” was then tapped to face Jorge Masvidal, but he too bowed out of the fight due to injury.

Holobaugh (7-0) is a Gracie Barra submission specialist, and most recently fought in June at a regional event in Biloxi, MIss., where he defeated his opponent by rear-naked choke in the second round. The win was the sixth of his career by submission.

The upcoming Strikeforce card will be its final one, and Zuffa, the parent company of Strikeforce and the UFC, will shut down operations of the promotion thereafter. The evening is headlined by Nate Marquardt defending his welterweight title against No.1 contender Tarec Saffiedine.

MMAJunkie.com first reported the Healy-Holobaugh bout.

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