Photo by Alexandre Schneider /Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC
A member of Rodriguez’s corner tested positive for the virus.
With Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island set to host four UFC events throughout the month of July, the promotion has already seen three fights scrapped due to COVID-19 positive tests.
MMA Fighting reported on Friday that a strawweight matchup between former champion Carla Esparza and rising Brazilian contender Marina Rodriguez is now off the table after someone from Rodriguez’s corner had a positive result for the virus. Rodriguez tested negative but the UFC, much like they did for Matt Frevola two weeks ago, erred on the side of caution and did not let her travel to Abu Dhabi from Sao Paulo.
This news comes shortly after Anderson dos Santos and Vinicius Moreira were pulled from their respective July 15th bouts after they both tested positive for COVID-19.
Esparza (16-6) is riding a three-fight winning streak, most recently getting a somewhat controversial split decision over Michelle Waterson at UFC 249. Rodriguez (12-0-2) is unbeaten in the UFC, albeit with a rare 2-0-2 record. Her last appearance saw her fight to a draw with Cynthia Calvillo.
It is unlikely that a replacement opponent will be sought for Rodriguez, which means that current travel restrictions may lead to this fight being rebooked at a later date. Since the May 9th restart, this is the sixth UFC matchup to be called off due to a COVID-19 positive for either a fighter or a cornerperson.
UFC 251 is a stacked pay-per-view card, with three title fights earning top billing. The main event sees welterweight champ Kamaru Usman defend his title against Gilbert Burns, while Alex Volkanovski defends his featherweight title an immediate rematch against Max Holloway. Legendary former featherweight champ Jose Aldo will look to capture the vacant bantamweight belt against Russia’s Petr Yan.