The UFC Vegas 72 fight card just can’t catch a break. Already hit with the headliner change two weeks before the event and several fight week shake-ups, the bout between Brian Kelleher and Journey Newson has now been scratched.
A bantamweight battle between Kelleher and Newson was one of the sleeper bouts on the cards, according to several pundits. But that bout is now off, after Kelleher was forced to withdraw.
Kelleher is being replaced by LFA fighter Marcus McGhee on short notice, according to a report by Eurosport. The two are expected to square off in a 140-pound catchweight bout because of the limited time for McGhee to cut weight.
UFC Vegas 72 fight card has been rattled
The UFC Vegas 72 headliner originally featured a lightweight bout between Arman Tsarukyan and Renato Moicano. Those plans were ditched after Moicano had to withdraw because of an injury.
With two weeks to go until fight time, a Top 10 bantamweight showdown between Song Yadong and Ricky Simon was moved from the UFC Vegas 71 fight card to the UFC Vegas 72 main event.
Several other bouts, including a featured women’s strawweight fight between Emily Ducote and Polyana Viana, were either altered or canceled earlier this week.
This latest change comes with just two days to go until fight day and 24 hours until the UFC Vegas 72 official weigh-in.
Nate Diaz turned himself in to New Orleans Police Department
UFC Vegas 72: Song Yadong vs. Ricky Simon
Saturday, April 29, 2023
UFC Apex
Las Vegas, Nevada
UFC Vegas 72 Main Card
- Main Event – Bantamweight: Song Yadong vs. Ricky Simón
- Middleweight: Caio Borralho vs. Michał Oleksiejczuk
- Middleweight: Rodolfo Vieira vs. Cody Brundage
Women’s Strawweight: Emily Ducote vs. Polyana Viana— RESCHEDULED- Heavyweight: Marcos Rogério de Lima vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta
- Welterweight: Joshua Quinlan vs. Trey Waters —
Ange LoosaOUT
UFC Vegas 72 Preliminary Card
- Heavyweight: Martin Buday vs. Jake Collier
- Featherweight: Julian Erosa vs. Fernando Padilla
Lightweight: Natan Levy vs. Pete Rodriguez— CANCELED- Flyweight: Cody Durden vs. Charles Johnson
- Women’s Bantamweight: Stephanie Egger vs. Irina Alekseeva
- 140-pound Catchweight: Journey Newson vs. Marcus McGhee — Brian Kelleher OUT
- Women’s Bantamweight: Hailey Cowan vs. Jamey-Lyn Horth
Another UFC Vegas 72 shake-up, Brian Kelleher drops out
