The upcoming UFC on ESPN 8 card in Columbus, Ohio has just taken a major hit as former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt has been forced out of his fight with Raphael Assuncao.
According to sources speaking to MMA Fighting on Thursday, Garbrandt was hospitalized this week due to kidney issues during his training camp in New Jersey. The Ohio native is now planning to travel to his home state to see a specialist, but his medical issues will prevent him from competing on March 28. AG Fight first reported the news.
The fight was supposed to serve as a homecoming for Garbrandt, who hasn’t competed in Ohio since before he joined the UFC roster.
The former champion has been out of action since last March when he suffered his third loss in a row in a fight against Pedro Munhoz.
He had recently moved training camps to begin working under head coaches Mark Henry and Ricardo Almeida in New Jersey, which is the same team featuring former UFC champions Frankie Edgar and Eddie Alvarez.
As of now the UFC has made no official decision regarding the change to the card, which is already influx due to an upcoming order from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine that may ban spectators from attending the show in Columbus due to the spread of the coronavirus.
The UFC on ESPN 8 card will be headlined by a heavyweight showdown between Francis Ngannou and Jairzinho Rozenstruik.
Source:mmafighting.com
