Leon Edwards was hoping to stay atop the upcoming UFC Fight Island 8 welterweight main event, currently scheduled for Jan. 20 on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi. Instead, “Rocky” will return to the sidelines and wait for opponent Khamzat Chimaev to recover from COVID-19.
“Borz” is expected to resume training within the next few weeks.
“The doctor told him when he went back to the gym, I guess he was having problems with his lungs, whatever that was, so they told him to take some more time off and not start training until early January,” White told The Schmo. “We’re going to push that fight back.”
Taking over the five-round headliner will be the 170-pound showdown between longtime veterans Neil Magny and Michael Chiesa, who battle for a spot in the welterweight title chase. No word yet on who fills in the open co-main event slot.
To see the revised UFC Fight Island 8 fight card and lineup click here.