Angela Hill will no longer fight Tecia Torres at UFC 256 after contracting COVID-19 — Fightful has the story on this and all the recently announced fights in one convenient article.
Angela Hill pulls out of UFC 256
In a theme that is becoming more common towards the end of 2020, another fight card is being ravaged by the ongoing novel coronavirus. Hill was scheduled to rematch Tecia Torres at UFC 256; however, Hill announced the fight's cancellation due to her positive COVID-19 test.
Tested positive for Covid and won’t be fighting next week. Tried to stay as safe as possible during fightcamp but with mma training there’s virtually no social distancing. Was looking forward to running it back, maybe in the near future. #CovidFuckingUpEveryonesSeason #UFC256 pic.twitter.com/karOTjqZO2
— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) December 7, 2020
Hill (12-9) and Torres (11-5) first fought in 2014 at UFC 188. It was only Hill's third professional fight at the time and Torres' sixth. Hill was handed the first loss of her pro career.
Omari Akhmedov vs. Tom Breese confirmed
Tom Breese (12-2) gets his chance to crack into the top 15 at the expense of no. 13 ranked Omari Akhmedov (20-5-1) on January 16. The fight was officially announced by the UFC Europe Twitter account on Monday.
Official!
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) December 7, 2020
Birmingham's Tom Breese ---- is going to kick off 2021 against Omari Akhmedov on Jan 16! pic.twitter.com/P4iIgedkIK
Akhmedov snapped a six-fight winning streak after losing a unanimous decision to former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. Breese has alternated wins-and-losses in his last five scraps; however, unlike Akhemdov, he is coming off a win. Breese scored a thunderous first-round TKO against KB Bhullar in October.
Shana Dobson vs. Casey O'Neill reported
Two fighters with very different pro records will collide at a UFC event on February 20, per MMA Junkie. Dobson (4-4) boasts a troublesome .500 record. Undefeated Casey O'Neill, on the other hand, is a perfect 5-0 as a pro. Dobson recently picked up an enormous victory against Mariya Agapova in which some oddsmakers had her as a nine-to-one underdog. O'Neil will make her UFC debut after winning two consecutive fights in 2020.
Taila Santos vs. Gillian Robertson at UFC Vegas 17
Talia Santos and Gillian Robertson are getting new looks. Santos' fight with Montana De La Rosa was called off the day of UFC Vegas 16 after the latter's cornerman tested positive for COVID-19. Robertson's match with Andrea Lee was scratched from UFC 256 due to an injury suffered by Lee. UFC matchmakers have now pitted Santos (16-1) vs. Robertson (9-4) for UFC Vegas 17 on December 19. MMA Fighting reported the new matchup.
Jimmy Flick vs. Cody Durden rebooked for UFC Vegas 17
Jimmy Flick (15-5) vs. Cody Durden (11-2-1) was also pulled from UFC Vegas 16 the day of the fight. That bout remains intact and has been pushed back two weeks to UFC Vegas 17 on December 19, per MMA Fighting. Durden revealed on Sunday that a bout with pink eye forced the fight's cancellation.
I did everything in my power to make the fight go on. I was not cleared by the UFC doctor to fight last night. I woke up in Vegas with pink eye Wednesday. Called the UFC doctors, picked up the prescription eye drops, did exactly what I was suppose to do in this situation. pic.twitter.com/YQUsvIDb2V
— Cody Durden (@Cody_Durden) December 6, 2020
Misha Cirkunov vs. Ryan Spann off UFC Vegas 17
UFC Vegas 17 has lost a significant light heavyweight clash between division staltwart Misha Cirkunov and interesting prospect Ryan Spann. The fight was pulled after Cirkunov suffered an undisclosed injury, according to TSN's Aaron Bronsteter. The fight was to be Cirkunov's first of 2020, and Spann's third.
---- Misha Cirkunov vs. Ryan Spann has been removed from UFC Fight Night on December 19.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) December 4, 2020
Cirkunov suffered an undisclosed injury and the UFC is looking to re-book the fight in February.
COVID-19 complicates Karl Roberson vs. Dalcha Lungiambula
Rounding off Monday's fight roundup, the novel coronavirus also derailed a planned match between Karl Roberson and Dalcha Lungiambula at UFC 256 on December 12. Lungiambula first announced on Twitter that Roberson had contracted COVID-19. MMA Fighting subsequently confirmed the report. Lungiambula says there are plans to rebook the fight for UFC Vegas 17 the subsequent week.
To my family, friends, and team champion. Thank you so much for the love and support.
— Dalcha Lungiambula (@Dalcha_Champion) December 7, 2020
My opponent @karlbabyk has been diagnosed with COVID-19, therefore @UFC has decided to move our fight to the 19th DECEMBER 2020. Wishing @K_babyk_roberson a speedy recovery. pic.twitter.com/PI7fM3SJAY
Full list of fight announcements:
Jimmy Flick (15-5) vs. Cody Durden (11-2-1) - UFC Vegas 17 - Dec. 19 - flyweight
Talia Santos (16-1) vs. Gillian Robertson (9-4) - UFC Vegas 17 - Dec. 19 - flyweight
Shana Dobson (4-4) vs. Casey O'Neill (5-0) - UFC Fight Night - Feb. 20 - flyweight
Tom Breese (12-2) vs. Omari Akhmedov (20-5-1) - UFC Fight Night - Jan. 16 - middleweight
Dominick Cruz (22-3) vs. Casey Kenney (16-2-1) - UFC 259 - March 9 - bantamweight
Bella Mir (1-0) vs. Alma Cespedes (0-2) - iKon Fighting Federation 4 - Dec. 12 - featherweight
Adriano Moraes (18-3) vs. Demetrious Johnson (30-3-1) - ONE Big Bang - Feb. 24 - flyweight title
Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson (no. 5) vs Geoff Neal (no. 11) – UFC Vegas 17 – Dec. 19 - welterweight
Anthony Pettis (no. 12) (23-10) vs Alex Morono (18-6) - UFC Vegas 17 - Dec. 19 – welterweight
Hideo Tokoro vs Shinobu Ota - RIZIN 26 - Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan - Dec. 31
Ayaka Hamasaki (c) vs Miyuu Yamamoto - RIZIN 26 - Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan - Dec. 31 - atomweight
Kanna Asakura vs Ai Shimizu - RIZIN 26 - Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan - Dec. 31 - atomweight
Yuki Motoya vs Naoki Inoue - RIZIN 26 - Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan - Dec. 31 - bantamweight
Ren Hiramoto vs Kyohei Hagiwara - RIZIN 26 - Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan - Dec. 31 - 150-pound catchweight
Sudario Tsuyoshi vs Ikuhisa Minowa - RIZIN 26 - Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan - Dec. 31 - heavyweight
Ulka Sasaki vs Kenta Takizawa - RIZIN 26 - Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan - Dec. 31 - bantamweight
Hafþór ‘The Mountain’ Björnsson vs Steven Ward – MTK Global – Jan. 16 - exhibition bout
Sabina Mazo (9-1) vs Alexis Davis (19-10) - UFC Fight Night - Feb. 27 - womens bantamweight
Max Griffin (16-8) vs Song Kenan (16-5) - UFC Fight Night - Mar. 20 - welterweight
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