Three More Fighters Pulled From UFC Fight Island Events Due To Covid-19

While the biggest news over the past 24 hours has been Gilbert Burns withdrawal from UFC 251 next weekend after testing positive for Covid-19, there have also been a further three fighters who have been pulled from the upcoming Fight Island series of shows in July due to the disease.

The list includes Anderson dos Santos, who made headlines in April when he joined a public protest for gyms in Sao Paulo, Brazil to be reopened, despite the fact cases in the region were on a sharp upwards tragectory.

Now he’s tested positive for Covid-19 in Sao Paulo prior to heading to Fight Island for a bout with Jack Shore on July 15th and as such the fight has now been scratched from the card.

Dos Santos has only had two fights in the UFC so far, and both had ended in unanimous decision defeats, leaving him with an overall 20-8 record.

Meanwhile, fellow Brazilian Vinicius Moreira has also received a positive coronavirus test result ahead of his fight against the debuting Modestas Bukauskas and has also been removed from the July 15th show.

Moreira had been hoping to fight in an attempt to keep his place on the UFC roster after having lost all three of his UFC fights to date after joining from the Contender Series in Brazil back in August of 2018.

Finally, Marina Rodriguez will no longer be fighting Claudia Gadelha on the July 15th show after one of her cornermen tested positive for the virus.

Thought Rodriguez herself tested negative for Covid-19, the UFC have opted to proceed with caution and not fly Rodriguez out to the event.

Ross Cole
Ross launched MMA Insight (previously FightOfTheNight.com) in 2009 as a way to channel his passion for the sport of mixed martial arts. He's since penned countless news stories and live fight reports along with dozens of feature articles as the lead writer for the site, reaching millions of fans in the process.