Renato Moicano tests positive for COVID-19, fight with Rafael Fiziev moved to UFC 256
UFC Vegas 15 is down a fight after Renato Moicano tested positive for COVID-19.
Moicano, who was scheduled to face Rafael Fiziev on the UFC's November 28th card, tested positive for the highly-contagious virus, as first reported by Punchline MMA. As a result, the Moicano-Fiziev bout has been pulled and will be rescheduled for UFC 256 on December 12th.
"Actually, what happened was, I just tested positive for COVID, so the fight's gonna be delayed, postponed. I think they're gonna do December 12th," Moicano said.
"I tested positive yesterday. By night, the UFC called me, and they say...Jeff Novitzky, who is I think the USADA guy, he text me and he said something was wrong with my results," he added.
Fortunately, Moicano says that he isn't showing any symptoms of the dreaded disease.
"I'm not feeling sick, I don't feel nothing. I'm feeling good, but they said I could not go to Vegas and fight, so I have to wait until my exam comes clean. "
Moicano is coming off a 44-second submission win over Damir Hadzovic back in March, snapping a two-fight losing streak. Prior to his back-to-back defeats, Moicano was a highly-touted contender in the UFC's 155-pound division, winning five of his first six fights inside the Octagon.
Rafael Fiziev meanwhile, is on a two-fight winning streak, with wins over Marc Diakase and Alex White. Fiziev suffered his first career loss in his UFC debut back in 2019, but has since bounced back in impressive fashion.
Tony Ferguson gets his wish, will fight at UFC 256
After months of campaigning on social media, lightweight contender Tony Ferguson finally got his wish, as he was added to UFC 256.
The number 3-ranked lightweight contender is coming off a loss to Justin Gaethje back in May, and has since been looking to get back inside the Octagon.
Ferguson called out Michael Chandler for a fight at UFC 256 in December, but the former Bellator champion suggested that they meet at UFC 257 in January instead.
'El Cucuy' however maintained that he would still be in Las Vegas for UFC 256.
The former UFC interim lightweight champion will face Brazilian submission specialist and number 6-ranked lightweight contender Charles 'Do Bronx' Oliveira on UFC 256.