Cutelaba Cornerman Positive For COVID-19, Backup Fighter Weighs In
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
A rematch between Ion Cutelaba and Magomed Ankalaev may be off for the third time after one of Cutelaba’s cornermen failed a COVID-19 test. Here’s what we know about the status of the fight.
The hits keep coming for Ion Cutelaba.
The Moldovan “Hulk” started 2020 with a somewhat controversial loss in February to Magomed Ankalaev where Cutelaba took some big shots and had his fight stopped on wobbly legs (watch the finish here). He immediately protested the ref decision, and was convincing enough to earn a quick rebook against Ankalaev.
Unfortunately getting back into the cage has been quite the endeavor. Their April rematch was on the UFC 248 card in April that California government officials pressured the UFC into shutting down. An August bout on UFC 253 was scuttled when Cutelaba tested positive for COVID-19, and then Cutelaba tested positive AGAIN two weeks later on the re-re-rescheduled UFC Vegas 8 attempt.
Now Cutelaba vs Ankalaev might be off once again after one of Cutelaba’s corners tested positive for the Coronavirus. The news came via MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck.
.@MikeHeck_JR said on @MMAFighting‘s weigh-in show that a source told him one of Ion Cutelaba’s cornermen tested positive for COVID-19.
As of now, the fight is on. But Isi Fitikefu just weighed in as a backup in case Ankalaev-Cutelaba 2 is canceled (again).
— Nick Baldwin (@NickBaldwinMMA) October 23, 2020
Cutelaba and Ankalaev both weighed in and there’s no official word from the UFC yet on what will happen with the fight. But 6-0 Australian fighter Isi Fitikefu also weighed in and is at the ready to step in should a decision to pull Cutelaba be made.
F I N A L L Y .@AnkalaevM vs @ICutelaba 2️⃣ – LIVE on ESPN+ PPV
[ #UFC254 – Oct 24 – Main Card at 2pmET ] pic.twitter.com/xMCSmdZssT
— UFC (@ufc) October 23, 2020
Normally, any fighter whose corner tests positive is immediately removed from the card due to proximity concerns. But given Cutelaba has already had the virus, a series of negative test might save him from removal from the card. We’ll keep you posted as the situation develops.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 254 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN 2/ESPN+ at 12 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
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https://www.mmamania.com/2020/10/23/21530164/ion-cutelaba-cornerman-tests-positive-covid-19-backup-fighter-weighs-in-ufc-254-ankalaev