Lightweights Damir Hadzovic and Yancy Medeiros were both in must-win territory at UFC Vegas 27, but that bout will no longer be happening.
On Saturday, just hours out from the event, UFC officials announced that Hadzovic (13-6), a.k.a. “The Bosnian Bomber,” had been removed from the card due to health issues.
“Due to health issues, Damir Hadzovic has been removed from the lightweight bout with Yancy Medeiros at UFC Vegas 27,” the promotion wrote in a statement circulated on social media. “As a result this bout has been cancelled from tonight’s card and will be rescheduled at a later date.”
No information as to the nature of Hadzovic’s illness was disclosed. The fighter successfully made weight for the event Friday, seemingly without issue.
Hadzovic, with the UFC since 2016, had lost two straight heading into UFC Vegas 27. Worse off was Hawaii’s Medeiros (15-7, 1NC), once a promising lightweight and welterweight. Heading into Saturday night, he had dropped three straight, and was without a win since 2017.
Fighting just once a year during that run likely didn’t help things for Yancy Medeiros. The Hawaiian, however, had stepped up to replace Nikolas Motta against Hadzovic this weekend.
UFC Vegas 27 takes place Saturday, May 22 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and is headlined by a bantamweight bout between Rob Font and former 135lb champ Cody Garbrandt.
