UFC 219 loses yet another high profile fight

Though it’s still an undeniably strong card, UFC 219 has not had an easy go. Ever since it was announced, the December 30 card has been rocked, rattled and reassembled by injuries and other issues, and this week, the trend is continuing.

According to Ariel Helwani, the card is now down one welterweight contender clash, as the 12th-ranked Kamaru Usman’s scrap with Emil Meek is being rescheduled for UFC 220, which goes down January 20 in Boston, Massachusetts.

UFC is hoping to reschedule Kamaru Usman x Emil Meek for UFC 220 in Boston on 1/20, sources say. Should be finalized soon. Fellow African-born fighters (and friends) Usman and Francis Ngannou on the same card in high-profile fights.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) December 13, 2017

“UFC is hoping to reschedule Kamaru Usman x Emil Meek for UFC 220 in Boston on 1/20, sources say,” Helwani reported on Twitter. “Should be finalized soon. Fellow African-born fighters (and friends) Usman and Francis Ngannou on the same card in high-profile fights.”

Though this news is undeniably unfortunate, the status of this fight has long been nebulous, as Norway’s Meek apparently struggled to get his visa arranged for his travel to the United States. Luckily, it sounds as though we’ll get this fight soon – just not as soon as we expected.

Whenever this fight occurs, Usman will enter this fight on a wicked, 10-fight streak. “The Nigerian Nightmare” has earned his six most recent wins in the UFC’s Octagon, where he has taken out top flight foes in Hayder Hassan, Leon Edwards, Alexander Yakovlev, Warlley Alves, Sean Strickland, and most recently, Sergio Moraes.

Meek, meanwhile, recently debuted in the UFC with a thrilling decision win over Jordan Mein. This win was preceded by a crushing, first-round stoppage of former WSOF champion Rousimar Palhares outside the Octagon.

Who do you think wins this rescheduled UFC 219 bout between Kamaru Usman and Emil Meek?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 13/12/2017.