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MMA

07th Sep 2018

UFC lose title fight following weigh-in day drama

The concerns were correct

Ben Kiely

Valentina Shevchenko was right to be concerned about her flyweight title shot set for UFC 228’s co-main event.

At a media scrum at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas in August, Valentina Shevchenko expressed her doubts about Nicco Montano showing up to the Octagon at UFC 228.

“Before I see her in the octagon, I will not believe she will do everything right.”

Sure enough, the morning of the weigh-ins, Montano was transported to the hospital. Although Montano was brought to the emergency room, there were reports that she was sitting up on the stretcher as she was being brought to the hospital.

The UFC has since released a statement confirming that she was hospitalised because of a precautionary measure. It was also confirmed that the fight had been called off following the champion’s withdrawal.

As a precautionary measure, UFC flyweight Nicco Montaño was transported to a medical facility Friday morning due to health concerns. 

The scheduled flyweight championship bout between Montaño and Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 228 has been cancelled.

UFC 228 card will move forward with 13 fights. Both fighters in the welterweight title fight main event made weight, so the highly-anticipated headiner remains intact.

Flyweight fighters Montana de la Rosa and Katlyn Chookagian will be disappointed to have missed out on a fight. Both of them put their names forward as potential replacements when it became apparent that Montano wouldn’t make it to the scales.