UFC 257 has reportedly lost one of its main card match-ups.
UFC 257 goes down in two weeks. The first UFC pay-per-view of 2021 brings a rematch six years in the making between former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier and former featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor.
The card also brings former Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler’s Octagon debut. He fights Dan Hooker in the co-main event. But one fight that will not feature on UFC 257 is the previously scheduled featherweight bout between Hakeem Dawodu and Shane Burgos.
According to MMA Junkie’s Farah Hannoun Dawodu has suffered a shoulder injury and has been removed from the fight. It’s unclear if the UFC will seek to keep Burgos on the card, versus a replacement opponent, or if this bout will be rescheduled.
Per sources, Hakeem Dawodu is out of his #UFC257 fight vs. Shane Burgos due to a shoulder injury.
— Farah Hannoun (@Farah_Hannoun) January 9, 2021
Dawodu is 12-1-1 and has won five straight contests in the UFC. He joined the promotion in 2018, dropping his debut via quick submission to Danny Henry.
Since then he beat Austin Arnett, Kyle Bochniak, Yoshinori Horie, Julio Arce and, most recently, Zubaira Tukhugov.
Burgos (13-2) is ranked 12th in the UFC’s featherweight rankings. Last time out, at UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Volkov, Burgos lost a decision to Josh Emmett in a thrilling back and forth contest.
That was his first pro loss since being TKO’d by Calvin Kattar at UFC 220 in 2018.
Burgos’ UFC wins have come against Makwan Amirkhani, Cub Swanson, Kurt Holobaugh, Godofredo Pepey, Charles Rosa and Tiago Traitor.
January 23rd’s UFC 257 takes place on ‘Fight Island’ outside of Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Outside of the main and co-main the event also hosts Jessica Eye vs. Joanne Calderwood, Marina Rodriguez vs. Amanda Ribas, and Brad Tavares vs. Antonio Carlos Junior.