UFC Vegas 17 on December 19, 2020, has suffered a massive setback as the main event for the card fell out. ESPN’s Ariel Helwani was the first to report that Leon Edwards has tested positive for COVID-19 and has dropped out. ‘Rocky’ was set to face off against Khamzat Chimaev in one of the most anticipated year-end cards.

What’s more, MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn revealed through sources that Edwards has lost 12 pounds due to his current illness. Now, the main event for the card will be a welterweight battle between Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson and Geoff Neal. Furthermore, Bohn reported that the bout is expected to be five rounds. On paper, the card was arguably one of the best for the year, and fans will be disappointed with the news.

UFC Vegas 17: The fall-out of Leon Edwards vs Khamzat Chimaev

The Englishman seemingly can’t catch a break in 2020 and his luck continues to shine upon him unfavorably.

Edwards was part of the first event that got canceled due to COVID-19 back in March. He was supposed to face Tyron Woodley at UFC London, but the event was quickly scrapped due to the circumstances.

Leon Edwards has been on the shelf since then, and securing a fight against the surging star Khamzat Chimaev was his only option. He’ll most likely lose his shot against ‘Borz’ given the fact that Chimaev likes to stay active. Additionally, it seems as though the path to welterweight glory will further be delayed for the ‘Rocky’ who’s on an 8-fight streak.

Khamzat Chimaev: Where does he go from here?

Chimaev has had his fair share of ups-and-downs leading into UFC Vegas 17 as he too reportedly tested COVID-19 positive. It was reported that despite the positive test, Khamzat’s team had deemed him ‘Good to go’ for December 19. There’s no doubt that he’ll begin searching for a viable match-up in the meantime.

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Also Read: Khamzat Chimaev Rumored to be COVID-19 Positive- UFC Fight against Leon Edwards Not Canceled Yet

Neil Magny has vehemently been calling out Khamzat Chimaev as of late. What’s more, it seems as though the UFC may grant him the bout. Magny is a seasoned veteran having faced the who’s-who in the company’s welterweight division. The hesitation to book the match-up has largely stemmed from the fact that Magny isn’t the biggest name.