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Renan Barao will not compete on Friday night after all.
Barao was scheduled to make his first appearance since parting ways with the UFC at Premier FC 32 against Tyson Duckworth. On Thursday, the event’s weigh-ins took place and Barao was noticeably absent from the photos and results. Duckworth posted to his personal Facebook page on Thursday the he was pulling out of the fight “due to several circumstances.”
MMA Fighting reached out to Premier FC CEO Karyn Wesch, who had the promotion’s side of the fight cancellation.
“The fight is off because [Duckworth] didn’t get on the plane,” Wesch told MMA Fighting on Friday.
“His wife texted my assistant six hours before he was due to land who said his coach didn’t feel good so he won’t fight.”
Per Wesch, the former UFC bantamweight champion will still attend the event at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass., and will receive his show money. Barao was hoping to get back on track after a 1-7 stretch over his last eight appearances, which includes five straight losses.
Premier FC 32 will be available to stream on FITE and is scheduled to feature UFC veteran Marcus Davis and UFC and Bellator veteran Ronny Markes.