World Extreme Cagefighting top bantamweight Manny Tapia will be unable to contend for Miguel Torres’ 135-pound divisional title due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee. The two were scheduled to meet at WEC 34 on June 1 in Sacramento, Calif.
“I fought Antonio [Banuelos] like that,” revealed Tapia. “Two weeks ago it completely gave out during training. I couldn’t walk for three or four days. I couldn’t bend my knee.”
He is coming off of a controversial decision win over Antonio Banuelos. The fight was initially scored as a draw, although many spectators thought Tapia should have been the victor. After a mistake in tallying the scorecards, he was ruled as the winner via split decision.
“I messed my knee up three weeks before I fought Antonio. It was only bad for like two days,” said the undefeated fighter. “I started training for Miguel and my knee popped every day. Apparently my ACL wasn’t completely healed and I had a slightly torn meniscus.”
Tapia is expected to undergo surgery within the next few weeks and will likely be out of action for three to four months.
The injury marks the second time he has been sidelined before a championship fight. “The Mangler” was scheduled to challenge then-champion Chase Beebe for his title back in September, but a knee injury derailed his title shot. Beebe recently lost his belt to Miguel Torres at WEC 32 in February.
“Everything happens for a reason. I’ll be back stronger and I’ll definitely be ready. I’m not going to let it slow me down.”
No replacement had been named at the time of publication. Even though he had just been announced as facing Damacio Page at WEC 34, Yoshiro Maeda has, however, been mentioned as a possible candidate to replace Tapia.
