The hits just keep on coming to the UFC Vegas 9 card, and not in a way that will excite fans. The beleaguered event had already lost two fighters on Saturday. Just over an hour before the original start time, it lost a third: heavyweight Marcos Rogerio de Lima.
The Brazilian heavyweight reportedly tested positive for COVID-19, according to a report by Combate. In light of the news, the UFC’s official broadcaster in the U.S., ESPN, adjusted their schedule to include a seven-fight main card, with no preliminary bouts. The card will now kick off at 7PM ET.
de Lima joins Kevin Natividad and Thiago Moises in being forced out of Saturday’s event. In the case of Natividad, back-up fighter Ray Rodriguez was available to step in. Both Moises’ fight (he was expected to face Jalin Turner) and de Lima’s, against Alexander Romanov, have been lost entirely.
Earlier in the week, weight cutting complications forced Karol Rosa off the card, with opponent Sijara Eubanks re-booked for September 12 against Julia Avila.
Romanov was expected to make his highly anticipated UFC debut against de Lima. 35-year old de Lima, with the UFC since 2014, was coming off a win over Ben Sosoli earlier this year in Auckland, New Zealand.
