UFC Vegas 26 will proceed with one less bout later tonight (Sat., May 8, 2021) live on ESPN/ESPN+ from inside UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, as a women’s strawweight clash between veteran Angela Hill and rising contender Amanda Ribas has been removed from the card.
According to MMA Fighting, Hill vs. Ribas was removed from the card after Ribas and a team member tested positive for COVID-19. It is unknown at this time if UFC officials are looking to re-book the 115-pound matchup right away.
Ribas, 27, is coming off a TKO loss to UFC Vegas 26 headliner, Marina Rodriguez, back at UFC 257 earlier this year. The talented Brazilian fighter was hoping to earn a big win over Hill on a ESPN main card to remind the division, and fans, that she’s a future title challenger. Ribas will have to wait a little longer to right the ship and improve on her 4-1 UFC record, which includes a key win over Mackenzie Dern.
Hill, 36, is coming off an impressive win over veteran fighter Ashley Yoder this past March and was hoping to use a victory over Ribas to springboard back into the division’s top 10. Hill was a betting underdog for her fight with Ribas, but had all the ingredients to pull off the upset and score one of her biggest UFC wins to date.
With the removal of Ribas vs. Hill, UFC Vegas 26 will proceed with the following lineup:
Main Card (ESPN/ESPN+)
8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT
Marina Rodriguez vs. Michelle Waterson
Donald Cerrone vs. Alex Morono
Neil Magny vs. Geoff Neal
Maurice Greene vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima
Carlos Diego Ferreira vs. Gregor Gillespie
Phil Hawes vs. Kyle DaukausAmanda Ribasvs.Angela HillCANCELED
‘Prelims’ Undercard (ESPN+)
6:15 p.m. ET / 3:15 p.m. PT
Ludovít Klein vs. Michael Trizano
Jun Yong Park vs. Tafon Nchukwi
Christian Aguilera vs. Carlston Harris
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 26 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN+ preliminary card bouts at 6:00 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN/ESPN+ main card start time at 8 p.m. ET.