UFC Vegas 123, headlined by Renato Moicano vs. Tom Nolan in a lightweight bout, has suffered a massive blow. Before the event gets underway this weekend, a fighter scheduled to compete on the card has withdrawn following an unexpected medical scare.
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On October 31, Azamat Bekoev was set to take on Andre Petroski in a middleweight bout at UFC Vegas 123. However, with only five days remaining before the event, Bekoev pulled out of the fight following a severe health scare. In a social media post, the Russian revealed that he had suffered an anaphylactic reaction and passed out at a CVS store. The staff eventually called an ambulance, which transported Bekoev to the hospital.
“Hello everybody, unfortunately, I have to pull out of my fight,” Bekoev wrote on X. A couple of days ago, I suffered an anaphylactic reaction. Thankfully, I made it to CVS within a few minutes and was able to get medication, but I ended up passing out inside the store, and they had to call an ambulance.
“First and foremost, I want to apologize to my opponent, Andre Petroski. I’ve never pulled out of a fight before, and this is not something I take lightly. I also want to apologize to the UFC and everyone who was looking forward to this fight. This is not how I wanted things to go, but my health has to come first. I’ll focus on recovering, and I’ll be back soon.”
The Russian’s decision to withdraw was completely understandable, considering the dire circumstances under which he made it. Bekoev would need an ample amount of time to recover from the anaphylactic reaction, which would’ve made it virtually impossible for him to fight just five days later.
Hello everybody, Unfortunately, I have to pull out of my fight. A couple of days ago, I suffered an anaphylactic reaction. Thankfully, I made it to CVS within a few minutes and was able to get medication, but I ended up passing out inside the store, and they had to call an Show more
An anaphylactic reaction, or anaphylaxis, is a severe allergic reaction that can occur for various reasons. These reactions commonly occur after someone is exposed to an allergen, such as certain foods, medications, or insect stings.
The severity of an allergic reaction varies depending on the trigger, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe. However, anaphylaxis can sometimes be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention.
Treatment for anaphylaxis typically involves epinephrine, alongside other medications and supportive care. Recovery times vary depending on the severity of the reaction and the treatment required. In most cases, recovery takes a few days, while severe cases can take several weeks.
For now, the seriousness of Bekoev’s condition remains unknown, and further details will only become available if he or his team makes them public.
In the UFC, withdrawals following an anaphylactic reaction are rare, with Bekoev being the latest example. However, there has been a similar case involving a former UFC fighter.
In November 2021, former UFC fighter Jessica Eye was scheduled to face Andrea Lee. Before the event, Eye visited a restaurant where she unknowingly consumed fish eggs wrapped in sushi. This triggered an allergic reaction, ultimately forcing her to withdraw from the fight against Lee. It remains unclear whether her reaction was anaphylactic.
The Russian fighter’s withdrawal has proved to be a significant setback for Dana White as the promotion was forced to scrap the fight entirely.
UFC Vegas 123 fight scrapped after Azamat Bekoev’s withdrawal
Dana White and the matchmakers often find a replacement when a fighter unexpectedly pulls out of an event. However, the same couldn’t happen at UFC Vegas 123.
Bekoev’s opponent, Andre Petroski, confirmed that he wouldn’t fight a replacement opponent, forcing the UFC to completely scrap the bout. As a result, this week’s Fight Night card, which originally featured 12 scheduled bouts, is currently down one fight.
Petroski is now scheduled to face Mantas Kondratavicius at UFC Vegas 124 next month.
White’s nightmare at UFC Vegas 123 goes deeper, considering Bekoev became the third fighter to withdraw from the card.
Before him, Gaston Bolanos withdrew from his scheduled bout against Francis Marshall after suffering a cut during training. Later, Brazilian veteran Carlos Leal pulled out of a highly anticipated welterweight bout against Randy Brown at the same event because of a leg injury.
The key difference between the other withdrawals and Bekoev’s case is that the other fighters accepted bouts against replacement opponents, while Petroski’s refusal forced the promotion to completely scrap the fight.
Despite the Moicano vs. Nolan card undergoing some significant changes, several other fights remain intact, and fans can still expect a captivating show at the UFC Apex this week.