Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The upcoming UFC Vegas 9 card has been dealt another major blow, as former UFC women’s flyweight champion Nicco Montano has tested positive for COVID-19, per a recent report by MMA Fighting.
As a result of the positive test, Montano’s rematch with streaking contender Julia Avila has been rescheduled for UFC’s upcoming event on Oct. 3. The women’s flyweight reboot was originally booked for Aug. 8 but Montano’s coach tested positive for COVID-19 just a few weeks prior.
Unfortunately for the UFC Vegas 9 card, this is the second positive COVID-19 test that has cancelled a premier bout. On Friday, bantamweight contender Ricky Simon announced on social media that he’s been removed from his featherweight clash with Brian Kelleher after one of his cornerman tested positive for coronavirus.
Montano, 31, captured the inaugural UFC women’s flyweight title with a win over Roxanne Modafferi at The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale back in 2017. After missing weight for a title defense at UFC 228 against Valentina Shevchenko she was stripped of her 125-pound strap. Since then, Montano has only been able to fight once, losing a decision to Julianna Pena in her return to bantamweight 13 months ago. She’ll have to wait even longer for her Octagon return.
UFC Vegas 9 will go down exclusively on ESPN+ and feature a main event clash between heavyweights Alistair Overeem and Augusto Sakai.
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