Don’t worry, fights can still get cancelled without COVID-19’s involvement.
The hits keep coming for UFC Vegas 17.
A light heavyweight clash between Misha Cirkunov and Ryan Spann is no longer happening on December 19th. TSN first reported the news late last week, with UFC officials confirming Cirkunov withdrew due to injury.
Cirkunov (15-5) will go the whole of 2020 without a fight, having not competed since submitting Jimmy Crute at UFC Vancouver in September 2019. After a 4-0 start to his UFC career, Cirkunov has gone just 2-3 in his last five, with all of his appearances inside the Octagon ending inside the distance.
Spann (18-6) made it to the UFC after winning his second appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2018. With notable wins over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Devin Clark, and Sam Alvey, Spann got a step up in competition against Johnny Walker but wound up losing a wild, back-and-forth fight by first-round KO.
UFC Vegas 17 has notably lost Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev and Alexandre Pantoja vs. Manel Kape, but has added rescheduled fights such as Jimmy Flick vs. Cody Durden and Karl Roberson vs. Dalcha Lungiambula.
UFC Vegas 17 will now be headlined by former welterweight title challenger Stephen Thompson and rising contender Geoff Neal.