The eagerly-anticipated UFC Fight Island clash between Khamzat Chimaev and Leon Edwards is OFF after RT Sport confirmed the news with sources close to the situation following an initial report from FrontKickOnline.
The bout, which would have seen the undefeated Chimaev face the toughest test of his young UFC career against top contender Edwards, will no longer take place at the event, with the UFC now looking for an alternative matchup to headline the January 20 event on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
Chimaev arrived in the UFC with a bang in 2020 and scored three quickfire finishes to start his octagon tenure in spectacular fashion.
He submitted middleweight John Phillips in the second round to kick off his UFC career on Fight Island in July, then followed up 10 days later with a second victory, a first-round TKO of welterweight Rhys McKee. He then headed Stateside and demolished middleweight Gerald Meerschaert with a 17-second knockout.
Also on rt.com 'Never seen anything like it': UFC sensation Khamzat Chimaev continues rise with ONE-PUNCH KO destruction of Meerschaert (VIDEO)All three wins earned him $50,000 "Performance of the Night" bonuses, with the UFC keen to fast-track him toward the top men in the UFC's welterweight division.
Eventually, he was matched with top contender Edwards, who had missed out on big fights earlier in the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pair were originally due to face off on December 19, but a positive COVID test for Edwards meant the bout was pushed back to January.
Now it looks like the bout will be scrapped for a second time, with Chimaev and Edwards set to be officially removed from the fight card for January 20.
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