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ESPN Staff WriterAriel Helwani is an MMA reporter at ESPN. Follow him on Twitter at @arielhelwani.
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ESPN Staff Writer- Brett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: "Chuck and Tito," which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.
Luke Rockhold (16-4) told ESPN on Friday that he has been forced to withdraw from the UFC 230 co-main event against Chris Weidman (14-3) due to multiple injuries.
According to Rockhold, his surgically repaired left shin recently got infected again, forcing him to have a stem-cell graft inserted. In addition, he said he sprained his right knee on Thursday and also recently broke his nose.
"I need at least one weapon to make it to the party," he said.
Rockhold is hoping to return to action in late 2018 or early 2019 after what his doctors are saying will be a four-week recovery.
The UFC will keep Weidman on the Nov. 3 card at Madison Square Garden in New York. Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza will take the place of Rockhold.
Souza, a former Strikeforce champion, was scheduled to fight David Branch. Branch will remain on the card and face Jared Cannonier, according to White.
Rockhold-Weidman 2 was a rematch of a fight that happened at UFC 194. Rockhold won via fourth-round TKO en route to becoming middleweight champion.
UFC 230 will be headlined by Daniel Cormier vs. Derrick Lewis for the UFC heavyweight title.
