Update: UFC Vegas 33 loses two fights, then suddenly gets one back

Rani Yahya is out of UFC Vegas 33 after testing positive for coronavirus. | Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

We’re down to nine fights. No wait, now it’s ten again. At this point it’s easier to figure out …


UFC Fight Night: Hall v Strickland Weigh-in
Rani Yahya is out of UFC Vegas 33 after testing positive for coronavirus. | Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

We’re down to nine fights. No wait, now it’s ten again.

At this point it’s easier to figure out who isn’t fighting at UFC Vegas 33.

Fight day has seen two more bouts nixed from the card, including the co-main event for the umpteenth time. Brazilian bantamweight Rani Yahya, an on the record anti-vaxxer, confirmed on his social media that he’s tested positive for COVID-19. Obviously his fight with Kyung Ho Kang is now off.

If you’re keeping score, the co-mains for this card that have been nixed are: Sam Alvey vs. Roman Kopylov, Chris Daukaus vs. Shamil Abdurakhimov, Nikolas Stolze vs. Mounir Lazzez, and now Kang vs. Yahya.

The new co-main event is Cheyanne Buys vs. Gloria de Paula. I mean that’s the plan for now, because we still have a few hours for more cancellations to ravage this card.

As if that wasn’t enough, Nikolas Stolze vs. Jared Gooden has also been scratched from the event for reasons unknown as of this publish time. Gooden stepped up on short notice and made weight but evidently he won’t be fighting at all.

Update: Stolze vs. Gooden is now back on after COVID protocols had scrapped it inititally.

UFC Vegas 33 had 15 fights and now has just nine. The main event is still Uriah Hall vs. Sean Strickland. We think. We hope.

Here’s the new lineup:

Main Card (9 PM ET, ESPN/ESPN+)

Uriah Hall vs. Sean Strickland

Cheyanne Buys vs. Gloria de Paula

Niklas Stolze vs. Jared Gooden

Bryan Barberena vs. Joe Witt

Collin Anglin vs. Melsik Baghdasayran

Preliminary Card (6:30 PM ET, ESPN/ESPN+)

Chris Gruetzemacher vs. Rafa Garcia

Danny Chavez vs. Kai Kamaka III

Jinh Yu Frey vs. Ashley Yoder

Ryan Benoit vs. Zarrukh Adashev

Phil Rowe vs. Orion Cosce