Two fighters from Brazil have tested positive for COVID-19 and will no longer be competing at the upcoming UFC Fight Night 172 card.
Per MMA Fighting’s reports, light heavyweight Vinicius Moreira and bantamweight Anderson dos Santos were both removed from the event after receiving their results. Since the resumption of events in May, only those two fighters along with Jacare Souza have been removed from UFC shows after testing positive for COVID-19.
Originally scheduled to take on newcomer Modestas Bukauskas, Vinicius Moreira (9-4) is on a three-fight losing skid in the UFC and was most likely fighting for his job on July 15. During his time in the Octagon, the 31-year-old was finished by Alonzo Menifield, Eryk Anders and most recently, in Septmber 2019, Paul Craig.
Anderson dos Santos (20-8), who protested for gyms to reopen in Sao Paulo, Brazil, back in April, still has yet to win a fight under the UFC banner. In his two Octagon outings, the 34-year-old dropped unanimous decisions to both Nad Narimani and Andre Ewell.
So far, it is unclear whether the UFC will look for replacements for both bouts or if the fights will be scrapped altogether. UFC Fight Night 172 is still expected to take place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on July 15. The card is scheduled to be headlined by a featherweight bout between contenders Calvin Kattar and Dan Ige.
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