Nick Ring vs. Constantinos Philippou fight cancelled at UFC 154 By Neil Springer, QMI Agency

Nick (The Promise) Ring is pictured during a press event in Montreal, Nov. 14, 2012. (PIERRE-PAUL POULIN/QMI Agency)

A scheduled middleweight clash between Nick (The Promise) Ring and Constantinos Philippou has been scratched mere hours before UFC 154.

Ring and Philippou were set to meet on the main card in Montreal Saturday, but Ring was pulled from the event after falling ill. UFC officials confirmed the Calgary fighter was not cleared to compete. Philippou will receive his show purse.

As a result, Toronto's Mark Bocek and Brazilian Rafael dos Anjos have been bumped up from the preliminary card.

Ring's last outing saw him pick up a controversial unanimous decision over Court McGee at UFC 149 in Calgary July 21. Philippou is currently riding a four-fight win streak, with victories over Jorge Rivera, Jared Hamman, McGee and Riki Fukuda.