Korean 'Ace' replaces injured Ellenberger in UFC Singapore main event

AMERICAN fan favourite Jake Ellenberger (left) has dropped out of his main event bout with Strikeforce welterweight champion Tarec Saffiedine (right) at the Ultimate Fighting Championship's inaugural Singapore show after suffering a torn hamstri
AMERICAN fan favourite Jake Ellenberger (left) has dropped out of his main event bout with Strikeforce welterweight champion Tarec Saffiedine (right) at the Ultimate Fighting Championship's inaugural Singapore show after suffering a torn hamstring in training. South Korea's Lim Hyun Gyu will step in to face Saffiedine at the Marina Bay Sands on Jan 4. -- ST FILE PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN

AMERICAN fan favourite Jake Ellenberger has dropped out of the main event of the Ultimate Fighting Championship's inaugural Singapore show after suffering a torn hamstring in training.

South Korea's Lim Hyun Gyu will step in to face Strikeforce welterweight champion Tarec Saffiedine at the Marina Bay Sands on Jan 4.

Nicknamed 'The Ace', Lim is coming off a seven-fight win streak, including a brutal 'Fight of the Night' knockout of Pascal Krauss in his last Octagon bout. Belgian Saffiedine himself boasts a 14-3 win-loss record, and is seen as a potential challenger to UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre.

The UFC will make its South-east Asian debut with 10 bouts, featuring mainly rising talent from the region, including Singapore's very own Royston Wee. Tickets, which range from $88 to $688, can be purchased on the MBS website and Sistic outlets.

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