File: Darren Except vs. Marvin Vettori Canceled as UFC Battle Evening Major Tournament
Jeffrey McWhorter/Associated Press
Saturday’s UFC Battle Evening predominant occasion—the middleweight clash between Darren Except and Marvin Vettori—has been canceled, consistent with ESPN’s Ariel Helwani on Tuesday.
Except used to be ruled out of the competition which capacity of of tension, consistent with Damon Martin of MMA Combating.
Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, who suffered his first loss and failed to take the sunshine heavyweight title from Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259 on March 6, and his coaches had pegged Except because the “front-runner” to be his next opponent. However Vettori had his sights jam on a bout with Adesanya too.
“Darren Except is a staunch fighter,” he recommended Mike Bohn and Rick Lee of MMAJunkie on Monday. “I’m not going to underestimate him. My consideration is 100 percent on him, and he’s dangerous, and I truly must put my entire consideration on him. However I’m confident that my next fight and his next fight may maybe perhaps be him, and Israel’s next fight may maybe perhaps be me.”
Vettori, the No. 6 middleweight, is 4-0 since falling to Adesanya in 2018. Except, on the diversified hand, hasn’t had as critical success in his recent outings, as he’s 1-3 in his closing four and enters off closing summer’s loss to Robert Whittaker.
Other recent losses came in matchups with Jorge Masvidal and Tyron Woodley, who he fought for the welterweight title in 2018. However the No. 5 middleweight is in a position to additional, fervent by he went 5-0-1 to originate up his UFC profession.
Martin added that Kevin Holland—who suffered a loss to Derek Brunson on March 20 that snapped a five-fight winning ride—current a proposal to step in for Except.
That matchup shouldn’t be formally booked.