A key middleweight matchup set to go down as next week’s UFC on ESPN 15 co-main event is off the table.
Recent title challenger Yoel Romero (13-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) is out of his fight against Uriah Hall (15-9 MMA, 8-7 UFC) because of an injury. A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the news to MMA Junkie, but requested anonymity since the UFC hasn’t made a formal announcement. The news first was reported by BJPenn.com.
UFC on ESPN 15 takes place Aug. 22 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card airs on ESPN.
Romero, No. 6 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie MMA middleweight rankings, is coming off a loss to champion Israel Adesanya in a title bout at UFC 248. He got that shot despite being on a two-fight skid, which Adesanya ran to three. He hasn’t won since a knockout of Luke Rockhold at UFC 221 in February 2018.
Hall has won three of his past four fights. He was set to fight Ronaldo Souza at UFC 249 in May, but the fight was pulled the night before the event when Souza tested positive for COVID-19.
With the change, the UFC on ESPN 15 card now includes:
- Pedro Munhoz vs. Frankie Edgar
- Uriah Hall vs. TBA
- Angela Hill vs. Michelle Waterson
- Shamil Gamzatov vs. Ovince Saint Preux
- Mariya Agapova vs. Shana Dobson
- Mizuki Inoue vs. Amanda Lemos
- Daniel Rodriguez vs. Takashi Sato
- Marcin Prachnio vs. Mike Rodriguez
- Austin Hubbard vs. Joe Solecki
