Injury has scuppered Kiwi lightweight Dan Hooker's upcoming bout against Jalin Turner next month.
'The Hangman' has broken his hand and will no longer face the rising American at UFC 285 on March 5.
The 11th-ranked Aucklander is coming off a convincing comeback win over Claudio Puelles in November and had his sights set on a move back inside the Top-10 with a win over Turner.
It's the first time in his near 13-year UFC career that the famously durable Hooker has pulled out of a bout with injury. The recovery timeframe is yet to be determined.
Turner is expected to remain on the card - which will be headlined by Jon Jones' heavyweight debut against Cyril Gane - against a new opponent yet to be confirmed.
The 27-year-old is riding a five-fight win streak, most recently defeating Hooker's City Kickboxing teammate Brad Riddell by submisson in July.
Hooker is the second NZ fighter to have been forced to withdraw from a fight card this year, after teammate Kai Kara-France pulled out of his UFC 284 bout with Alex Perez due to a knee injury.
