This coming Saturday Night’s UFC Vegas 14 card has lost half of its main event as Islam Makhachev has been pulled from the headlining bout against Rafael Dos Anjos.
Brett Okamoto of ESPN first reported the news. Dos Anjos is expected to remain on the card at this time, as UFC officials are seeking a replacement opponent for him to fight.
Makhachev would take to Instagram a short time after the news broke to reveal that a staph infection is the reason why he pulled out of the fight:
Google Translate provided the following translation of what Makhachev wrote:
The only thing that calms down is that we cannot get away from what has been prescribed ⠀ A lot of time and effort was spent on this fight, I was in peak shape, but as soon as I started to lose weight and the immune system began to weaken, I caught an infection that would incapacitate me for at least a month in this camp, our team had already encountered this infection more than once and many had to cancel your fights. This year was difficult for my career, a lot of fights were canceled but I promise you I will go to the end to this belt no matter what it costs me Inshaalah
Dos Anjos (29-13-0) has won just one of his last five in the UFC with that lone win coming over Kevin Lee at UFC Fight Night Rochester. Dos Anjos is a former UFC lightweight champion, defeating Anthony Pettis to win the gold at UFC 185. Dos Anjos has competed as a lightweight and welterweight in the UFC, earning an overall record of 18-11-0 in the promotion.
UFC Vegas 14 takes place on Saturday, November 14 from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada with Rafael Dos Anjos and an opponent to be announced headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, while broadcast plans have yet to be revealed.
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