UFC 226: Max Holloway pulled from Brian Ortega fight due to concussion-like symptoms
UFC 226: MAX HOLLOWAY has been withdrawn from his bout with Brian Ortega.
Holloway was scheduled to defend his featherweight crown against the in-form Ortega this weekend in the co-main event of UFC 226.
The UFC brass made the decision to pull the 145lbs king from the eagerly-anticipated bout as he was suffering from concussion-like symptoms.
It soon emerged that the Hawaiian was hospitalised on Monday as his team were worried about his well being, though he was released the following day.
However, the 26-year-old's condition didn't improve, prompting the UFC to pull him from the card.
“Max’s team and UFC staff noticed Max was not normal since late last week,” Holloway's manager Brian Butler-Au said in a statement to MMA Junkie.
"This became obvious to many watching his interviews and public appearances the past few days.
“Max fought with his team to continue with the fight.
Max Holloway prepares for Anthony Pettis title fight
Max’s team and UFC staff noticed Max was not normal since late last week
"He showed some improvement over the next day but was still showing obvious symptoms.
"After open workouts, he crashed and was very hard to wake up, when he did he had flashing vision and slurred speech.”
At this moment in time, it's currently unknown if Ortega will remain on the seventh pay-per-view card of the year.
But according to Combate, 'T-City' is contemplating withdrawing from the card as well - because he's keen to fight Holloway when he's made a full recovery.
Ortega addressed Holloway's late withdrawal from their bout, tweeting: "It is what it is. We'll run this s**t later."
Holloway's withdrawal from UFC 226 marks the third consecutive time one of his scheduled fights has been cancelled, the first two being his proposed bout with former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, which were supposed to take place at UFC 218 and UFC 222.
UFC 226 takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in the early hours of Sunday morning and is headlined by a heavyweight title fight between champion Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier.
UFC 226: Miocic vs Cormier fight card
Stipe Miocic vs Daniel Cormier (heavyweight title fight)
Francis Ngannou vs Derrick Lewis (heavyweight bout)
Michael Chiesa vs Anthony Pettis (lightweight bout)
Gokhan Saki vs Khalil Rountree (light-heavyweight bout)
Prelims
Paulo Costa vs Uriah Hall (middleweight bout)
Paul Felder vs Mike Perry (welterweight bout)
Raphael Assuncao vs Rob Font (men’s bantamweight bout)
Curtis Millender vs Max Griffin (welterweight bout)
Dan Hooker vs Gilbert Burns (lightweight bout)
Lando Vannata vs Drakkar Klose (lightweight bout)
Jamie Moyle vs Emily Whitmire (women’s strawweight bout)