It’s no secret that Mickey Gall’s stardom stems from defeating CM Punk on the WWE legend’s UFC debut at UFC 203 in September 2016. A decade later, the 34-year-old is still reaping the benefits of that victory. The promotion had booked him to face Sedriques Dumas at UFC Vegas 121 this weekend. However, Gall’s comeback has been abruptly derailed after he failed to secure medical clearance.

Gall announced via Instagram that the UFC doctors had deemed him medically ineligible to compete in Las Vegas after contacting him that morning.

“I have been pulled from this fight by the UFC,” Gall said. “I was contacted this morning. Something came back on my medicals that is making me ineligible via a simple procedure. I will be back. It sucks. I have overcome a lot to be here, and it’s not lost on me that I’ve done a lot of losing in there.

“I wanted to give my friends, my family, and my fans something to cheer about, and I’ve worked really hard for that. Unfortunately, that’s not going to be able to happen this weekend. But once I get this situated and straightened out, I will be back.”

Gall did not reveal the nature of the medical issue that prevented him from competing. He indicated that it can be addressed through a procedure, but it remains unclear how long he will be sidelined or when he could return to action.

This is also the first time Gall has revealed that the UFC itself pulled him from a scheduled bout because of a medical issue. However, it isn’t the first time the New Jersey native has dealt with a significant health setback before a fight.

Mickey Gall’s most notable medical scare came ahead of his UFC 235 fight against Diego Sanchez in 2019. The welterweight had reportedly cleared his pre-fight medical tests but fainted shortly before the weigh-ins. Gall later admitted that he concealed the incident from the promotion and went ahead with the fight.

Sanchez eventually stopped him via second-round TKO. Medical reports later revealed that Gall had suffered kidney failure following his weight cut, resulting in the athletic commission placing him under a medical suspension.

The UFC veteran encountered another setback ahead of his planned return at UFC 302 in 2024 when he suffered a serious injury to his left leg. At one point, Gall said he was unable to move the leg and described the experience as “scary” during a UFC Q&A session.

Now, another medical issue has forced Gall to wait even longer for his return.

The timing is particularly difficult given where he stands in his UFC career. Gall is currently riding a four-fight losing streak and hasn’t won a fight since 2021. Nevertheless, the 34-year-old made it clear that he intends to return once he gets his latest medical issue resolved.

Gall isn’t the only UFC fighter to have been removed from a card over medical clearance issues.

In 2021, Askar Askar was removed from his scheduled UFC debut against Cody Stamann because of unresolved medical clearance issues. Josiah Harrell also had his UFC debut against former champion Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 290 canceled after doctors diagnosed him with Moyamoya disease.

Both fighters eventually returned to competition. In fact, Harrell is scheduled to face Elves Brener at UFC Vegas 121, the same event where Gall was originally supposed to compete.

While Mickey Gall’s withdrawal leaves Dumas without his scheduled opponent, the UFC has already found a replacement, and the new matchup comes with an unusual storyline.

UFC Vegas 121 sees cop vs. criminal fight after Mickey Gall’s withdrawal  

After the UFC pulled Mickey Gall from the Fight Night event, U.S. cop Luiz Hernandez answered the promotion’s call to face Sedriques Dumas on just two days’ notice. In doing so, he might have created one of the most compelling storylines of the year.

Hernandez manages two distinct careers. By day, he serves as a deputy with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office. By night, he steps into the cage to punch opponents in the face. In fact, he recently won a UFC contract after beating Hugo Guillon on Dana White’s Contender Series 2026.

On the other hand, Sedriques Dumas has a lengthy criminal record. Dumas has been arrested 14 times on charges including domestic battery, driving with a suspended license, and a bunch of other issues. However, the most notorious incident came last year when the UFC fighter allegedly invaded his ex-girlfriend’s home.

With that, UFC Vegas 121 will feature a unique cop-versus-convicted-criminal storyline inside the cage, all thanks to Mickey Gall’s injury.

Though there’s plenty to unfold, Mickey Gall is expected to resolve his medical issues and continue his UFC journey soon.