Maybe Ion Cutelaba and Magomed Ankalaev just are not meant to fight each other. Per MMA Junkie’s report, the ‘Hulk’ once again tested positive for COVID-19 forcing the fight to be called off hours before the card is set to start. It is Cutelaba’s second positive test for coronavirus, coming just two weeks after his first one.
#BREAKING: Ion Cutelaba tests positive for COVID-19, Magomed Ankalaev rematch off #UFCVegas8 tonight https://t.co/0i88VBg2HL
— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) August 29, 2020
Back in February, the first match between Cutelaba and Ankalaev ended in a controversial TKO loss for Cutelaba, ater Ankalaev caught him with a flurry of strikes and Kevin McDonald waved the bout off while Cutelaba was still standing. The loss was deemed incorrect by the Virginia Athletic Commission, but they decided not to overturn the result, which made the UFC book the fight a second time.
The second time Cutelaba and Ankalaev were paired up, on August 2015, Cutelaba didn’t make it to the weigh-ins. On August 11, his COVID-19 test came back positive and the bout was re-scheduled for August 29, which may have been a tad too soon, after all. For now, it is unclear whether or not the UFC will book the fight a fourth time.
UFC Vegas 8 goes ahead tonight with light heavyweights Anthony Smith and Aleskandar Rakic as the card’s main event. The show takes place at the UFC Apex, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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