LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Cain Velasquez has been forced out of his UFC 196 heavyweight title fight with champion Fabricio Werdum due to a back injury.

Stipe Miocic will step in to face Werdum at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Feb. 6.

UFC President Dana White announced the changes Sunday in a post on his Twitter account.

Velasquez is a former two-time UFC heavyweight champion, but his mixed martial arts career has been slowed repeatedly by injuries. He has fought just once since October 2013, losing his title to Werdum in Mexico City last June.

Miocic will get his first UFC title shot on short notice. He should be fresh after stopping Andrei Arlovski just 54 seconds into their bout at UFC 195 on Jan. 2.