The once loaded UFC 213 card has taken another hit just hours before the show was about to go live as the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Title fight between champion Amanda Nunes and Valentina Shevchenko has been pulled from the card.
ESPN’s Brett Okamoto reported the following on Twitter:
Multiple sources have told me Amanda Nunes is 100 percent off UFC 213 tonight.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) July 8, 2017
Nunes is currently hospitalized in Las Vegas due to an illness, something she has been reportedly dealing with for the majority of fight week.
UFC 213 is now going to be headlined by a bout for the vacant UFC Interim Middleweight Title as Yoel Romero faces Robert Whittaker.
There is no word yet on if/when the Nunes/Shevchenko bout is going to be rescheduled.
Jon Anik, who is calling the event tonight, posted the following on Twitter:
Sincerely hope she is OK. Total nightmare for production. You thought UFC 200 was tough? Full-fledged scramble is on. https://t.co/oE6OG5cRjE
— Jon Anik (@Jon_Anik) July 8, 2017
This is the second fight to be pulled from the card in as many weeks, as the welterweight division fight between Robbie Lawler and Donald Cerrone was pulled, but then rescheduled for UFC 214.
UFC 213 takes place on Saturday, July 8 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with Yoel Romero and Robert Whittaker headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.