Holly Holm vs. Irene Aldana will still take place — just two months later.
The pivotal women’s bantamweight clash was set to headline UFC Vegas 5 on August 1 earlier this month. However, Aldana tested positive for COVID-19 and had to pull out of the fight which later led to the middleweight bout between Derek Brunson and Edmen Shahbazyan headlining the event.
However, it has now been rescheduled to headline the UFC’s upcoming October 3 event. The news was announced during the UFC 252 broadcast on Saturday night.
“Despite the fact that we have made a camp in total isolation and with the health measures recommended by the authorities, unfortunately I had some symptoms and in the pertinent examinations it was positive,” Aldana wrote in a statement last month. “I am still recovering: the first days were complicated in terms of symptoms, but I am much better.
“… I deeply thank the UFC, its president Dana White, Mick Maynard and my opponent and her team for the understanding shown, we will be ready for the new date that the company assigns us within the next few months.”
Aldana is on a two-fight winning streak and has also won five of her last six outings. Holm, meanwhile, returned to the win column against Raquel Pennington after getting knocked out by Amanda Nunes in their title fight last summer.
The winner of this fight — particularly Aldana — has a good chance of getting the next 135-pound title shot.
Who do you think comes out on top?