A highly anticipated matchup is off of this weekend’s UFC 258 main card. MMA Fighting was the first to report that the bantamweight matchup between Pedro Munhoz (18-5, 1 NC) and Jimmie Rivera (23-4) has been called off.
The UFC has not come out with a statement, but MMA Fighting is reporting that a positive COVID test has cancelled the fight. The tentative plan is for the promotion to push back the fight to the Fight Night on February 27th.
UFC 258 isn’t the most stacked card for a PPV and losing this bantamweight matchup is a pretty big hit. The lightweight matchup between Jim Miller and Bobby Green is getting promoted to the PPV main card.
Jimmie Rivera was looking to pickup his second consecutive win on Saturday night. Rivera has always been known as one of the best in the UFC, however, every time he’s approached a title shot, he’s stumbled.
His three losses with the promotion have come against Petr Yan, Aljamain Sterling, and Marlon Moraes. This matchup at UFC 258 was actually a rematch from a fight back in 2015. Rivera defeated Munhoz by split decision that night.
UFC redemption for Munhoz
Pedro Munhoz has lost twice in a row and he was looking to bounce back this weekend. UFC 258 was his opportunity to settle the score with Jimmie Rivera and it was his opportunity to end his current losing streak.
Munhoz rose to the top of the UFC’s bantamweight division after he knocked out former champion, Cody Garbrandt. However, he would then go on to lose decisions to Aljamain Sterling and Frankie Edgar which shuffled him back.
By all indications, there should be no issues with this fight taking place in two weeks. Of course, that has yet to be confirmed by the UFC. I was personally really looking forward to this one. Hopefully fight fans will get to see this one sooner than later.