UFC Rochester took a major hit on fight week, as Neil Magny pulled out of his co-main event bout against Vicente Luque.
MMA Junkie first reported the change to UFC Rochester.
This matchup went through a strange saga. From Neil Magny vs. Michael Chiesa, to Magny vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (who reportedly never was offered the fight), then Magny vs. Vicente Luque. Now it might not happen at all if a replacement cannot step in against Luque following an undisclosed injury to Magny.
Neil Magny has been a borderline welterweight contender for a while. The Ultimate Fighter alum won seven straight fights from 2014 to 2015 before falling to former top contender Demian Maia. He hasn’t gone on a serious win streak since, but he’s accumulated wins against Kelvin Gastelum, Carlos Condit, and Johny Hendricks. Magny’s last fight was a knockout loss to Santiago Ponzinibbio.
Vicente Luque has been on a tear since falling in his UFC debut. The Brazilian is 8-1 with eight finishes since then. A loss to top contender Leon Edwards is the blemish that separates a pair of four-fight win streaks. He was part of an early Fight of the Year candidate when he went to battle with Bryan Barberena in February, going back-and-forth with the brawler before knocking him out in the third round.
UFC Rochester takes place on Saturday from the Blue Cross Arena in Western New York. A welterweight battle between former top lightweights Rafael dos Anjos and Kevin Lee headlines the card. Megan Anderson will also welcome Felicia Spencer to the Octagon in a rare women’s featherweight tilt.
