The lightweight bout between Pete Rodriguez and Natan Levy has been pulled from the UFC Charlotte event on Sat. night (May 13) after “Dead Game” was dead weight and unable to make the official weigh ins. This marks the second time the fight has been scrapped after previously getting pulled from UFC Vegas 72 roughly two weeks back.
As a result, the ESPN/ESPN+ preliminary card will be reduced to six fights.
“Unfortunately, Natan Levy’s fight has been pulled,” coach Eric Nicksick wrote on social media. “His opponent, Pete Rodriguez, failed to not only make the contracted weight, but also the catchweight we agreed on. Doctors pulled him. Had a feeling this would be the case, seeing we had to move it two weeks ago. Fight game.”
Levy is expected to be paid his “show” purse.
“Just to be clear, we were scheduled to fight at 155 (+1),” Levy told his Twitter followers. “They asked for a catchweight so I agreed to fight him at 158, then they asked for 160 and I said yes already being below that weight. I heard he was crying and losing his shit and quit at 162. If you can cry you still got water in you homie.”
UFC Charlotte will be headlined by the heavyweight showdown between Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Jailton Almeida, not long after light heavyweight veterans Anthony Smith and Johnny Walker collide in the co-main event. Elsewhere on the card, Ian Machado Garry and Daniel Rodriguez hook ‘em up at 170 pounds.
For the revised UFC Charlotte fight and ABC lineup click here.