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Daniel Cormier injured, out of UFC 206 main event

For the second time this year, the UFC Light Heavyweight champion and former Oklahoma State All-American wrestler withdraws from a title defense.

MMA: UFC 200-Cormier vs Silva Joshua Dahl-USA TODAY Sports

UFC 206 will need a new main event fight.

UFC Light Heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, a former Oklahoma State All-American wrestler, has been forced to withdraw from the Dec. 10 fight, according to a report from MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani.

Cormier was scheduled to fight Anthony Johnson, who he defeated via submission last May to win a vacant title. According to the report, the UFC is currently working to find Johnson a new opponent and a new main event.

It is the second time this year Cormier has withdrawn from a title defense.

Cormier was scheduled to fight Jon Jones in April at UFC 197, however, Cormier was pulled from the fight due to a foot injury. The fight was later scheduled for UFC 200 in July, but Jones was pulled from the card for a potential doping violation. Cormier stayed on the card and won a three-round non title fight via unanimous decision against Anderson Silva. Cormier has defended the belt once, with a five-round split decision in the UFC 192 main event against Alexander Gustafsson in November 2015.

Gustafsson, ranked No. 2 in the division, could be a possible opponent for Johnson. The two faced off in January 2015, with Johnson winning via first-round knockout. Gustafsson is coming off a three-round unanimous decision against Jan Blachowicz in September.

UFC 206 is slated to take place at Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The current co-main event is Anthony Pettis vs. Max Holloway in a 145-pound featherweight bout.