The UFC will end its almost decade-long hiatus on April 18 as it’ll enter Winnipeg, Canada. Marking their third visit to the region, the promotion has also announced a couple of bouts for the event, setting the tone for the fight night. But one fight was canceled from the card for a very bizarre reason. Why? Because a fighter didn’t sign the contract.

According to an MMA Mania report, the UFC confirmed a fight between South Korean featherweight sensation Doo Ho Choi vs Gavin Tucker for its event in Winnipeg. However, the showdown has now fallen off the card as the Canadian reportedly didn’t sign the contract and has already retired from the sport.

Before this announcement, Tucker’s retirement wasn’t publicly revealed, so the news can come as a shock to fans. Well, many outlets have indeed confirmed the fight, but UFC actually didn’t disclose anything about the clash in the end. That said, another question could be, did Dana White and Co. know about his retirement? The answer would probably be yes, as there are chances that Tucker wouldn’t decide to fight after signing the contract. So, all in all, the situation is a little confusing.

MMA Mania’s report further states that Gavin Tucker is facing Doo Ho Choi in a rematch after winning at UFC 240. But the fact is different. The Canadian retired star clashed against Seung Woo Choi at the event, not Doo Ho Choi. So, what was actually the fight that got canceled at the UFC Winnipeg event? Turns out, it was actually a fresh clash against ‘The Korean Superboy’ which ‘Guvnor’ didn’t accept, citing the cause of his retirement being declining health.

“Just spoke with Gavin Tucker on February 19. He was in talks to fight Doo Ho Choi at #UFCWinnipeg, but nothing was official,” Kevin posted on X. “Today Tucker says he will be retiring due to the damage he has suffered throughout his career,” the social media creator added. 

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

Now, honestly, the Canadian featherweight’s retirement looked like a possibility since he only fought twice in five years. Moreover, he’s also 39 years old, and age also seemed to play a factor here. However, as a fight has fallen from Winnipeg’s card, the UFC announced a homecoming for another ranked Canadian fighter. 

Jasmine Jasudavicius returns to UFC Winnipeg   

Fighting out of St. Catharines, Ontario, Jasmine Jasudavicius has been one of the best UFC women’s flyweight talents the fans have witnessed so far. Although the Canadian had hiccups, she managed to bounce back each time and was on a solid four-fight winning streak before losing to Manon Fiorot at UFC Vancouver last year.

But even after that monumental defeat, Jasudavicius is back, and she will face Karine Silva. Currently, the 36-year-old is ranked 6th in the rankings and very close to a title shot. But she would be putting her spot on the line against the Brazilian, who’s also currently looking for redemption after losing to Maycee Barber at UFC 323.

Looking at the timeline, it seems that Silva will be making a really quick turnaround, as her fight was in December and she’s back in two months. On the other hand, Jasudavicius’ last fight was in October, and the Canadian definitely had much more time to regroup after her loss and might perform better in the Octagon on April 18.

The UFC Winnipeg Fight Night event already has a stellar main event between Mike Mallott vs Gilbert Burns, a veteran vs up-and-comer matchup. And now, with the addition of the flyweight fight, the card is looking even better. That said, would it actually top last year’s Vancouver event? Or can it fall comparatively flat? Let us know in the comments section below.