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UFC Vegas 16 undergoes main event change after Kevin Holland tests positive for COVID-19

Kevin Holland - UFC
Kevin Holland - UFC

Twenty-four hours after Saturday's UFC Vegas 15 underwent a last-minute main event change, next week's UFC Vegas 16 headliner has morphed to a new match-up as well.

UFC Vegas 16 was scheduled to feature a middleweight main event between Jack Hermansson and Kevin Holland. Holland, however, was removed from the bout on Saturday after testing positive for COVID-19.

He has since been replaced by Marvin Vettori, according to a report by ESPN's Brett Okamoto.

Vettori had been slated to face Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza at UFC 256 on Dec. 12, but he'll instead face Hermansson in the Dec. 5 UFC Vegas 16 main event. It's unclear what officials will do with Jacare.

UFC Vegas 15 main event canceled just prior to weigh-ins

The change marks the second main event shake-up in just 24 hours.

Saturday's UFC Vegas 15 main event heavyweight showdown between Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis was nixed on Friday. Just before the UFC Vegas 15 weigh-in got underway, it was revealed that Blaydes had tested positive for COVID-19 and removed from the fight card.

UFC officials are hoping to rebook the bout in the near future. The initial target was UFC 256 on Dec. 12, but sources indicate that date isn't likely. There are better odds that Blaydes vs. Lewis will be rescheduled for a January fight card.


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