Yet another UFC card has lost one of its featured matchups less than 48 hours prior to the event.
Saturday’s scheduled UFC Fight Night co-main event between Brad Tavares and Jun Yong Park has been removed from the card after the organization announced Friday that Park was dealing with an undisclosed medical issue.
The decision was made to cancel the middleweight bout after both fighters had already made weight. Tavares successfully weighed in at 185.5 pounds after Park had stepped on the scale weighing 186 pounds.
According to MMAJunkie’s Ken Hathaway, Park did not pass the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s post-weigh-in medical. Hathaway also reported a featherweight bout between Steve Garcia and Seung Woo Choi is now expected to serve as the penultimate fight of the night.
Tavares was about to set a record by competing in the 25th middleweight bout of his UFC career which would’ve seen him pass Michael Bisping for most total Octagon appearances in the weight class. Tavares also had the chance to tie Bisping for most wins in the division and could’ve passed him in total cage time depending on how long his bout with Park would’ve lasted.
The 36-year-old Tavares now has to wait before he can break those records.
Park, 33, had a four-fight winning streak snapped in December when he dropped a split decision to Andre Muniz.
All 24 competitors scheduled to compete Saturday at the organization’s Apex facility made weight even though only 22 of them will end up walking to the cage.
Below are the official weigh-in results for UFC Fight Night: Lemos vs. Jandiroba:
MAIN CARD
— Amanda Lemos (116) vs. Virna Jandiroba (115.5)
— Brad Tavares (185.5) vs. Park Jun Yong (186)**
— Steve Garcia (144.5) vs. Choi Seung Woo (145)
— Kurt Holobaugh (155) vs. Kaynan Kruschewsky (154)
— Cody Durden (125.5) vs. Bruno Gustavo da Silva (126)
— Choi Doo Ho (146) vs. Bill Algeo (146)
**bout cancelled due to medical issue with Park
PRELIMINARY CARD
— Lee Jeong Yeong (145.5) vs. Hyder Amil (146)
— Brian Kelleher (136) vs. Cody Gibson (136)
— Miranda Maverick (125.5) vs. Dione Barbosa (125.5)
— Loik Radzhabov (155.5) vs. Trey Ogden (156)
— Luana Carolina (125.5) vs. Lucie Pudilova (126)
— Mohammed Usman (236.5) vs. Thomas Petersen (258.5)
The highly anticipated Fight Night bout between Brad Tavares and Jun Yong Park has been canceled due to a medical issue. This news comes as a disappointment to MMA fans who were looking forward to seeing these two talented fighters go head-to-head in the octagon.
The cancellation of the fight was announced by the UFC on social media, with no specific details provided about the nature of the medical issue that led to the decision. While injuries and medical issues are not uncommon in the world of professional fighting, it is always disappointing when a highly anticipated match-up has to be called off.
Brad Tavares, a veteran of the sport with a record of 17 wins and 7 losses, was looking to bounce back from a recent loss and secure a victory over Jun Yong Park, a rising star in the middleweight division. Park, who hails from South Korea, has an impressive record of 13 wins and 4 losses and was eager to prove himself against a seasoned opponent like Tavares.
Fans were eagerly anticipating this fight as both fighters are known for their aggressive fighting styles and willingness to go toe-to-toe with their opponents. The cancellation of the bout is a disappointment for both fighters and fans alike, but the health and safety of the athletes must always come first.
It is unclear at this time if the fight will be rescheduled or if both fighters will move on to other opponents. In the meantime, fans can only hope for a speedy recovery for whichever fighter is dealing with the medical issue that led to the cancellation of this exciting match-up.
As always, the world of MMA is unpredictable and full of surprises. While this cancellation may be disappointing, there are sure to be many more exciting fights on the horizon for both Brad Tavares and Jun Yong Park. MMA fans will just have to wait and see what the future holds for these two talented fighters.