‘Missile’ Implodes, Pulled From Vegas Lineup

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to the ESPN+ digital network this weekend in Las Vegas with a mediocre APEX lineup that somehow just got worse, thanks to the late withdrawal of middleweight bruiser Julian Marquez.

“The Cuban Missile Crisis” was deemed medically unfit to compete and never made it to the scale for today’s UFC Vegas 40 weigh ins (get full results here), though COVID-19 is not the culprit, according to MMA Junkie.

Opponent Jordan Wright, who tipped the scale at 184.5 pounds, will be paid his “show” purse and sent to the sidelines to await his next assignment. The main card opening will be filled by the previously-scheduled “Prelims” contest between featherweight hopefuls Ludovit Klein and Nate Landwehr.

Marquez (9-2) made a name for himself with a thunderous knockout win on Dana White’s “Contender Series” back in summer 2017, and has since put together a 3-1 mark inside the Octagon, with all three victories by way of submission. No statement yet from “The Cuban Missile Crisis” but keep an eye on social media for that update later today.

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For the revised UFC Vegas 40 fight card and lineup click here.