UFC 196 moves from pay per view to cable broadcast

The Feb. 6 Ultimate Fighting Championship card at the MGM Grand Garden will air on cable television instead of pay per view after the main event was canceled because of injuries to both fighters scheduled for a heavyweight title bout.

UFC 196 now will air on Fox Sports 1, though the details of the broadcast still are being worked out. The preliminary card already was scheduled to air on the network at 5 p.m.

UFC officials confirmed a Yahoo Sports report Tuesday afternoon that the event no longer will be on pay per view.

Heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum was scheduled to headline the event with a title defense against former champ Cain Velasquez. That changed Sunday when Velasquez pulled out of the fight because of a back injury and Stipe Miocic was announced as a replacement.

Werdum followed suit Monday, telling a group of Brazilian reporters he was hurt and wouldn't fight Miocic. The champion said he was willing to fight through injuries to take on Velasquez but not Miocic.

UFC officials were left scrambling for alternatives, but the decision was made Tuesday to cancel the main event and move to Fox Sports 1. A welterweight contender bout between Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson and former champ Johny Hendricks will now fill the headlining spot.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj