Sources: Curran injured, won't make bantamweight debut

Jeff Curran, who is currently ranked No. 7 in the featherweight division by MMAWeekly.com, had been planning move to bantamweight on Dec. 3 at WEC 37 in Las Vegas.

Sometimes the best-laid plans go awry, however, as have Curran's. Walking around UFC 90 in Chicago this past weekend with his hand bandaged, a source close to the fighter's camp has confirmed that Curran's injured hand has forced him to withdraw from his planned 135-pound debut.

He will now sit out the rest of 2008, looking to bounce back as soon as possible in 2009.

Always a small lightweight fighter, where Curran had to spend much of his career due to the economics of the fight game, he signed with the WEC where the focus has been on the lighter weight classes. He immediately emerged as a contender to current 145-pound champion Urijah Faber, but lost to him and a subsequent bout to Mike Brown, who faces Faber on Nov. 5.

Rumors had circulated pitting Curran against Chase Beebe on Dec. 3, but that fight is obviously off the table now.

Curran was unavailable for comment at the time of publication.