Word has come down that Cheick Kongo has had to officially withdraw from a proposed bout against Roy Nelson at UFC 116 due to a back injury. Rumors that the fight was in jeopardy have swirled for weeks. There has been speculation that Frank Mir would be tapped as the replacement to face The Ultimate Fighter 10 winner.

However, it now appears that Junior “Cigano” Dos Santos will get the call to fight Nelson at UFC 117. Sources have revealed that at least one of the combatants has already agreed to the bout though no contracts have been signed.

Dos Santos had recently stated that he would like to pursue boxing during his brief downtime in MMA. He has tried to make the crossover in the past, but bouts with Gilbert Yvel and Gabriel Gonzaga prevented it. Now it looks as though Nelson will keep “Cigano” from his pugilistic pursuits.

Both men are in the midst of impressive win streaks in the Octagon. While Dos Santos has been in the title picture for some time, Nelson has only recently thrown his name into the mix. Having the two battle it out makes sense as Cain Velasquez has chosen to wait for his title shot and other heavyweight options are coming off losses or have committed to other fights.

(Source: MMA Junkie)