A highly anticipated showdown between lightweight legends has dropped off the UFC 274 card.
Between them, Cowboy Cerrone and Joe Lauzon held 33 post-fight bonuses ahead of UFC 274.
Combined, they had 64 fights worth of experience in the UFC, had been in multiple Fight of the Night winning bouts, and even appeared in a few Fight of the Year candidates. Perhaps more importantly, both had the longstanding goodwill of the fans — you’d be hard-pressed to find a more popular duo competing on Saturday’s card, or any other.
There was a chance that UFC 274 could have been the last hurrah for Cerrone, Lauzon, or potentially even both. But as the card kicked off on Saturday in Phoenix, Arizona, it was announced that the fight was off.
The UFC broadcast team announced the news after the preliminary card opener, Journey Newson vs. Fernie Garcia, had come to a close. A non-COVID related illness suffered by Cowboy was announced as the reason behind the cancellation.
Cerrone vs. Lauzon had been expected to open up the PPV card. Unfortunately, the match-up will have to wait. “He was throwing up, he couldn’t keep food down,” UFC analyst Joe Rogan explained on the broadcast. While Cerrone was given some time, doctors determined that he was unfit to fight.
UFC 274 moves forward with 14 fights. The main event sees Justin Gaethje challenging for lightweight gold — with now-former champ Charles Oliveira stripped of his belt after missing weight on Friday.
