Undefeated UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman won’t be able to go by the end of the year after suffering a broken hand in training, but luckily, the UFC had a backup plan ready to go.

“The All-American” was scheduled to make his third title defense against ex-light heavyweight champ Vitor Belfort at UFC 181 on December 6, but that bout has been postponed until February.

However, fight fans need not fret, since the pay-per-view will now be headlined by a welterweight slugfest between Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler – a rematch from UFC 171 in March where Hendricks won a narrow decision.

MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani first tweeted the major UFC 181 change Monday night, while the UFC subsequently confirmed the news on their official website.

UFC 181 also featured a lightweight championship matchup between Anthony Pettis and Gilbert Melendez, as well as a pivotal light heavyweight scrap between Travis Browne and Brendan Schaub.

Weidman, 12-0, has fought just three times since July 2013, but had easily one of the best years inside the Octagon of all time.

He scored two wins over seemingly unstoppable middleweight champ Anderson Silva last year and then delivered a hard-fought decision win against former 205-pound titleholder Lyoto Machida at UFC 175 in July.

Meanwhile, “The Phenom” has been on the shelf since scoring a big head kick knockout over Dan Henderson at UFC Fight Night 32 in November – his third consecutive head kick KO.

Now, it looks like Belfort will spend all of 2014 on the sidelines, withdrawing from a potential UFC 173 matchup with Weidman shortly after the Nevada State Athletic Commission banned testosterone replacement therapy.

UFC 181 takes place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.