Don’Tale Mayes is out due to injury.
There’s yet another change to this Saturday’s UFC Vegas 22 card.
The promotion announced on Wednesday that heavyweight Don’Tale Mayes had to withdraw from his main card bout with Tai Tuivasa due to injury. Fortunately for Tuivasa, he will get to remain on the card against the wonderfully named Harry Hunsucker.
Tuivasa (10-3) perhaps saved his UFC career with a first-round TKO against the now retired Stefan Struve at UFC 254 last October. Once touted as a compelling heavyweight prospect, Tuivasa started out 3-0 inside the Octagon before three consecutive defeats to Junior dos Santos, Blagoi Ivanov, and Sergey Spivak.
Hunsucker (7-3) actually has a loss to Mayes on his record in his third professional fight. The Kentuckian is coming off a first-round TKO win against Cory Moon on the regional scene. He competed on Dana White’s Contender Series last year, losing by TKO to Jared Vanderaa. All seven of Hunsucker’s wins have come in the opening round.
Earlier in the week a bantamweight bout between Johnny Eduardo and Anthony Birchak was cancelled after Eduardo had visa issues entering the United States. No replacement was found for Birchak so he is also off the card.
UFC Vegas 22 is headlined by a key middleweight bout between contenders Derek Brunson and Kevin Holland. The main card airs live on ESPN with prelims on ESPN2. All fights will be carried on the ESPN+ live stream.