Yesterday, news broke that the fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Leon Edwards had been cancelled for a second time. And, also for a second time, the reason behind that is COVID-19 according to MMA Junkie.
The pair were originally scheduled to fight on the UFC’s final event of the year, UFC Fight Night 183 on 19 December. However, that fight was postponed after Edwards pulled out of the contest following a positive COVID-19 test and subsequent battle with the coronavirus which saw him lose 12 pounds in weight.
Chimaev’s withdrawal from the rescheduled fight slated for 20 January on Fight Island was also due to the coronavirus.
The Sweden-based Dagestan native tested positive for COVID-19 in early December – confirming rumours that emerged at the time prior to Edwards pulling out of the bout – and MMA Junkie report that Chimaev’s lungs have not fully recovered from the illness.
As a result, doctors have declared Chimaev medically unfit to be ready for the Edwards bout on 20 January.
Just like Chimaev was following the first postponement, Edwards was gracious upon talking about Chimaev and the latest setback for this matchup.
However, Edwards made it clear he still wants to get in the cage on Fight Island after spending the entirety of 2019 on the sidelines. At the time of writing, Edwards has not yet been booked with a replacement opponent.