COVID-19 and injuries shake-up UFC return to Fight Island

The calendar flipped from 2020 to 2021 recently, but that didn’t magically eradicate concerns over COVID-19 or stop injuries from knocking bouts off of UFC fight cards.

Having already suffered a couple of COVID-19 related losses, UFC Fight Island 7, which takes place on Jan. 16, lost another bout. Mike Gundy, who was supposed to face Nik Lentz at UFC Fight Island 7, was removed from the bout when a team member tested positive for COVID-19.

As result, Lentz was paired with Movsar Evloev and moved to the UFC 257 fight card on Jan. 23, which features a headlining rematch between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor.

UFC 257 was already in need of another bout after Hakeem Dawodu vs. Shane Burgos was nixed from the fight card.

Dawodu suffered a shoulder injury that forced him out of the bout. UFC officials then removed Burgos from the event as well with plans to possibly have him fight in February when the UFC returns to the United States.

TRENDING > Dana White’s State of the UFC: ‘I was built for 2020’