The mixed martial arts (MMA) world was dealt a disappointing bit of news when it was revealed that Nicco Montano had been hospitalized with kidney function issues prior to her UFC 228 title defense against Valentina Shevchenko, leading to the fight being called off.
With another high-profile UFC fight off the table, the fight game was left to pick up the collective pieces of a pay-per-view (PPV) event that already wasn’t getting much hype.
Montano’s team released a statement on the disappoint scene describing her medical issues while Shevchenko released her own words saying she already knew it Montano would find a way to not face her in the octagon. The UFC also released their own brief statement on the situation, stating that Montano was hospitalized as a precautionary measure:
“As a precautionary measure, UFC flyweight Nicco Montaño was transported to a medical facility Friday morning due to health concerns,” the UFC statement read. “The scheduled championship bout between Montaño & Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 228 has been cancelled.”
Obviously, the health of the women’s 125-pound champion comes first, yet it’s a horrible look for a champion who has failed to defend her belt even once since winning the gold at last December’s The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 27 Finale.
Many have called for Montano to already be stripped of the belt, and at this point, it’s tough to argue with them.
Montano’s next title defense remains up in the air as of this writing.
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