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Pickett completely rules out fighting at Wembley Arena

Brad Pickett will be happy to watch the London UFC event © Getty Images

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England's Brad Pickett has confirmed he will not, under any circumstances, appear on the Wembley Arena card in February.

Pickett fights Eddie Wineland on the last card of the year on December 29, so there remained a small window for the Brit to also appear in London, if he was able to emerge from the Wineland bout unscathed.

But Pickett told ESPN on Tuesday that he will be jetting off to South Africa following his Las Vegas encounter, for a holiday that he has already postponed once in order to enable him to accept the Wineland bout.

"A lot of people are asking if I'll be able to fight on that UK card… I definitely won't be able to," Pickett said. "Even if I finish [Wineland] within a minute and have no injuries I won't be able to make it because I then go straight on holiday with my girlfriend to South Africa.

"I'm there for a couple of weeks so I wouldn't be able to prepare. I actually changed my holiday once for this card, so to change it again, I think my girlfriend would kill me!"

Pickett also questioned the wisdom of fighting anybody not named Renan Barao or Michael McDonald, if he comes through Wineland. In the Brit's eyes, victory would make him the natural next opponent for the winner of that interim bantamweight title collision, scheduled for London.

"If I win this fight, I'm right up there. I'd be looking at the winner of Barao v McDonald with an eager eye - if I win my fight," Pickett said. "So if I did win, who else would I fight [in London]? I plan to win my fight, enjoy the Wembley event, and it'll be fun to watch Barao v McDonald."

Pickett was asked by ESPN if he might sit in the front row during the Barao v McDonald fight, much as Anderson Silva did for Georges St-Pierre's recent collision with Carlos Condit. And the Brit did not rule out the scenario.

"Yeah, it's a big IF that I get past Wineland. But yeah I'll be sitting close to watch that fight."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.