Women’s flyweight contender, Cynthia Calvillo, has been withdrawn from the UFC 254 card. The 33-year-old fighter was set to face Lauren Murphy but is now out after testing positive for COVID-19.
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No. 3 ranked UFC flyweight Cynthia Calvillo (@cyn_calvillo) has been pulled from her fight against Lauren Murphy at UFC 254 next week, per sources. UFC looking for a replacement.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) October 15, 2020
With just a week left for UFC 254, it remains to be seen if the flyweight fighter gets a last-minute replacement that she wants. ‘Lucky’ Murphy took to Twitter to wish Calvillo well. She wrote, “Hope (Cynthia Calvillo) is okay! Maybe (hopefully) we can run it in a few weeks! In the meantime, I’m still planning on having the fight of my life on Fight Island! See you guys soon”
Hope @cyn_calvillo is okay! Maybe (hopefully) we can run it in a few weeks!
In the mean time, I’m still planning on having the fight of my life on Fight Island! See you guys soon ❤️ https://t.co/mHolXWt7uz— Lauren Murphy (@LaurenMurphyMMA) October 16, 2020
While the UFC 254 card started off stacked, the card has thinned out over the last few days. Islam Makhachev pulled out after failing to secure an opponent for the event. He was set to fight former divisional champion Rafael dos Anjos, who withdrew after testing positive for the coronavirus.
Read: BREAKING: UFC 254 Suffers a Major Setback- Islam Makhachev Fight Canceled
Calvillo had a 3-1 record in her last four UFC fights. Ever since losing a close decision to the former champion, Carla Esparza, she has been in great form. A win over Murphy would have put her in contention for Valentina Shevchenko‘s flyweight title.
Weight issues thing of the past for Cynthia Calvillo
Originally a strawweight contender, Calvillo moved up to flyweight because of weight cut issues. One of her most brutal cuts witnessed was when she took on Poliana Botelho. It was quite distressing to watch as Calvillo barely had any energy to stand. The fighter missed weight by four pounds and was fined 20% of her purse.
Calvillo got her first UFC win in the flyweight division over former title contender Jessica Eye in June. Having put weight issues behind, she has encountered yet another roadblock. The #2 ranked contender will be gutted by the positive test as she felt a win on Yas Fight Island would have helped her seal the deal as the next challenger. Calvillo will look to fight soon and ensure that she remains relevant around the time the flyweight belt is defended at UFC 255.
Now, after losing a top fight in Calvillo vs Murphy, it’s up to the UFC to save the card or ensure that no other fights get canceled. The company has taken steps to protect its main event, with Michael Chandler serving as the official backup fighter.
Read: “Styles Make Fights”- Cynthia Calvillo Sends Valentina Shevchenko A Stern Warning