Ray Borg Not Competing at UFC on ESPN 10
UFC on ESPN 10 lost a leading name Thursday when Ray Borg announced he will not compete on Saturday's card.
The former UFC flyweight title challenger stepped aside from his scheduled 135 lb bout vs. Merab Dvalishvili before tweeting 'Family first, see you soon son.' According to MMA Junkie, Borg's son Anthony, born in 2018 with hydrocephalus, is experiencing some unknown level of medical difficulty.
Hydrocephalus occurs when cerebrospinal fluid accumulates within the brain. According to Wikipedia, common hydrocephalus symptoms include intracranial pressure, double vision, headaches, poor balance and mental impairment, etc.
The battle tested 33-year-old Borg debuted in 2014 with his current employer and impressed vs. the 125 pound roster before a failed 2017 championship scrap against Demetrius Johnson. Since then, Borg (13-5) is 2-2 after moving to bantamweight. Recently, "The TazMexican Devil" found himself outgrappled by Ricky Simon during a split decision May 13 loss.
Regional standout Gustavo Lopez replaces Borg for Saturday's bout vs. Dvalishvili. Lopez (11-4) has accrued smaller promotion titles while stopping 10 of 11 defeated pro opponents inside distance. At longshot odds, Lopez does claim five submissions going against takedown heavy Dvalishvili -that factor keeps alive hope the newcomer could gain an upset.
But those hopes remain slim at best. Dvalishvili (10-4, 3-2 UFC) has won three straight opposite Zuffa competition. In February "The Machine" showed prime form by ragdolling former Division 1 wrestler Casey Kenney to the mat 12 times.
Saturday should grant the Georgian another clean victory opportunity and keep Dvalishvili rolling into higher profile matchups.
UFC on ESPN 10 emanates Saturday from the Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jessica Eye and Cynthia Calvillo headline action with a billed five round affair.
