Nasrat Haqparast and Nad Narimani were expected to kick off the UFC Fight Night London card, but the athletic commission discovered that Haqparast had an eye infection and the bout was canned moments before the event streamed live on UFC Fight Pass. This news was first reported by Nolan King of MMA Kings.
The following statement would be issued by the UFC on the matter:
Based on advice from the UFC medical team on Saturday morning, Nasrat Haqparast was deemed unfit to fight due to an infectious eye condition and his bout against Nad Narimani has been cancelled.
Narimani had taken the bout on less than a weeks notice, as Haqparast was originally supposed to battle Alex Reyes.
Haqparast recently took to Twitter to say that the UFC took care of him despite the canceled bout, including paying him the full fight purse:
Thank you to @seanshelby @danawhite and the @ufc for paying me my purse. I would have fought with 1 eye... Speechless how much the UFC staff took care of me, you guys are amazing and Im really thankful to be part of the best organization on the planet. pic.twitter.com/Z5763MA9Tc
— Nasrat Haqparast (@Nasrat_mma) March 18, 2018
After a visit to the doctor, a recovering Haqparast also took to Twitter to say that the eye infection could spread to his brain:
Just out of the doctor. It’s not a pink eye , it’s an dangerous infection which can go up to my brain and the virus could infect the brain. Back soon ---- @UFCEurope @ufc pic.twitter.com/t5xsBr5r4L
— Nasrat Haqparast (@Nasrat_mma) March 19, 2018
There is no word yet from the UFC or the fighters themselves as to whether or not the bout is going to be rescheduled or if both competitors are going their separate ways.
