Alan Belcher is out of UFC 153 with a spinal fracture

Alan Belcher was scheduled to be in the co-main event of UFC 153 against Vitor Belfort, but that fight was scratched after Belfort was moved to UFC 152 to meet Jon Jones.

This left Belcher without an opponent, but Belcher has announced that he has a spinal fracture and is off the fight card. He would like to return later in the year and have a top five bout against Chris Weidman.

Once Belfort was pulled from the fight, it seemed that Weidman was the likely candidate to face Belcher. Weidman has been waiting for a potential title fight against Anderson Silva, but the champion is interested in a potential super fight with Georges St-Pierre.

Weidman has not said whether he is interested in a bout with Belcher, but the fight makes sense for both fighters.