UFC on ESPN+ 34 loses Thiago Moises vs. Jalin Turner hours before event starts

UFC on ESPN+ 34 has taken yet another hit.

The lightweight bout between Thiago Moises and Jalin Turner scheduled for the main card has been canceled and is off tonight’s card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the fight cancellation to MMA Junkie following an initial report from Combate, which attributed the change to “coronavirus concerns” pertaining to Moises. The person asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an announcement.

If Moises was indeed removed for COVID concerns, it would mark the third straight week a fighter who stepped on the scale at Friday weigh-ins tested positive and had their fight removed on fight day.

Earlier in the week, a women’s bantamweight fight between Karol Rosa and Sijara Eubanks was cancelled, after Rosa was forced out of the bout with health issues.

Saturday morning, Kevin Natividad, who was scheduled to fight Brian Kelleher, was also removed from UFC on ESPN+ 34 and replaced by “backup” fighter Ray Rodriguez.

Kelleher was initially supposed to face Ricky Simon, who pulled out of the fight earlier this month after one of his cornermen tested positive for COVID-19.

Nicco Montano vs. Julia Avila was once slated for this card, as well. However, Montano withdrew from the fight due to a positive COVID-19 test.

The current UFC on ESPN+ 34 lineup includes:

• Alistair Overeem vs. Augusto Sakai
• Alonzo Menifield vs. Ovince Saint Preux
• Zelim Imadaev vs. Michel Pereira
• Brian Kelleher vs. Ray Rodriguez
• Viviane Araujo vs. Montana De La Rosa
• Bartosz Fabinski vs. Andre Muniz
• Marcos Rogerio de Lima vs. Alexander Romanov
• Hunter Azure vs. Cole Smith