3 of the most heartbreaking fight cancellations that happened on the night of UFC events
UFC Vegas 27 card lost the lightweight bout between Yancy Medeiros and Damir Hadzovic a few hours before the prelims kicked off. A picture-perfect weekend is one that brings an amazing night of fights for the vast majority of MMA fans. If there is one thing capable of spoiling that picture in the worst possible manner, it is last-minute fight cancelations. It only gets worse if a fight is canceled on the night of the event and here is the list of the 3 most heartbreaking fight cancelations that happened hours to minutes before the fights commenced:
#3 Chas Skelly vs Jamall Emmers UFC
Even after years of watching MMA fights, you can never underestimate the fascinating sport's element of surprise.
One of the most bizarre bout cancelations in UFC history happened at UFC Vegas 19 in February 2021 when Chas Skelly made the walk to the UFC octagon only to go back to the locker room without fighting. As Skelly waited for his opponent to enter the cage, the UFC broadcast team announced that Skelly's opponent Jamall Emmers was suffering from back spasms and the bout stood canceled.
While the fighters involved in this incident are not exactly the biggest names in the sport, to hear about a cancelation right before a fighter's walkout is a heartbreaking occurrence for every MMA fan. It is a rare phenomenon that was never seen before in the UFC.
#2 Amanda Nunes vs Valentina Shevchenko 2 - UFC 213
Valentina Shevchenko was the only woman who could send Amanda Nunes back from the cusp of greatness. The latter's unanimous decision victory over Shevchenko at UFC 196 raised more questions than it answered.
Although Nunes won two out of three rounds, the momentum had started shifting in Shevchenko's favor towards the end of the fight. The Bullet was set to challenge Amanda Nunes in the title fight rematch at UFC 213 in July 2017. However, the bout was canceled hours before the event started as 'The Lioness' was hospitalized due to health issues.
#1 Robert Whittaker vs Kelvin Gastelum - UFC 234
It's not an overstatement to say that Robert Whittaker has never fought at his full potential in recent history. The former middleweight champ has struggled with some of the most horrific injuries before, during, and after his fights.
Eight months after surviving a grueling war against Yoel Romero at UFC 225, Whittaker was expected to defend his title against the thriving Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 234 in February 2019.
However, Whittaker was hospitalized hours before the flight and had to undergo emergency surgery to treat the abdominal hernia, resulting in the bout cancelation. As heartbreaking as the cancelation was, it prevented an extremely dangerous situation. UFC president Dana White later told the media that the condition could have proven fatal if Whittaker went ahead and fought that night.