Sijara Eubanks was all set to take on Karol Rosa at UFC Vegas 9. Fate had other plans.
Eubanks (5-4) was originally scheduled to face Macy Chiasson this week. After Chiasson dropped off the card, Karol Rosa stepped in as a short-notice replacement. However, Rosa did not appear at the UFC Vegas 9 media day on Thursday.
MMA Fighting subsequently reported that Rosa encountered difficulties with her weight cut, and is out of the fight as a result. Rather than find yet another replacement fighter with weigh-ins fast approaching, the UFC opted to move Eubanks out a week, and pair her up against Julia Avila on September 12.
Eubanks had already attended Thursday’s media day, where she spoke about working with the UFC Performance Institute for her own weight cut.
When she faces off with Avila, should all go according to plan, Eubanks will enter the fight off a win over Sarah Moras back in May, at UFC Jacksonville. That win snapped a two-fight skid for the Ultimate Fighter alum.
Avila (8-1) has won both her fights inside the octagon, after fighting for Invicta and a handful of smaller regional promotions. In her last outing, it took all of 22 seconds for Avila to stop Gina Mazany. The “Raging Panda” had been expected to face Nicco Montano on September 12, but Montano dropped off the card after contracting COVID-19.
