UFC Vegas 19 loses Drakkar Klose vs. Luis Pena fight on just hours notice

Tonight’s UFC Vegas 19: ‘Blaydes vs. Lewis’ event has taken a late hit as a lightweight bout between Drakkar Klose and Luis Pena has been scrapped.

Klose and Pena were set to collide on today’s preliminary card but the bout was unfortunately called off after one of Drakkar’s cornermen tested positive for Covid.

Luis Pena (8-3 MMA), who was hoping to return to the win column at tonight’s event, shared the following information on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/violentbobross/status/1363221283698135041

“I hate this man but it’s with a heavy heart that must inform you guys that the fight has been called off one of Drakkar’s corner tested positive for covid and out of the health and safety for us both the @ufc decided to pull the fight praying that he and his team remain healthy.” – Pena shared.

“I’m gutted y’all don’t understand fighting is truly one of the only things that brings me joy in life I’ve been having to sit on the sidelines for 8 months going through ups and downs just waiting for that moment where I get to be home again I miss the bright lights I miss y’all.”

As for Drakkar Klose (11-2-1 MMA), the Michigan native was also looking to rebound at tonight’s UFC Vegas 19 event. Klose had suffered a knockout loss to Beneil Dariush in his most recent Octagon appearance, a setback which snapped his three-fight win streak.

Image Credits: UFC

UFC Vegas 19 is headlined by a key heavyweight bout featuring Curtis Blaydes taking on Derrick Lewis.

Blaydes (14-2 MMA) will be stepping foot in the Octagon for the first time since defeating Alexander Volkov by unanimous decision this past June. That win marked Blaydes’ fourth in a row, as he had previously scored victories over Justin Willis, Shamil Abdurakhimov and Junior dos Santos.

Meanwhile, Derrick Lewis (24-7 MMA) will enter tonight’s UFC Vegas 19 event on a three-fight win streak, his latest being a second round TKO victory over Aleksei Oleinik back in August. Prior to that finish, ‘The Black Beast’ had earned victories over Ilir Latifi and Blagoy Ivanov.

Get all of tonight’s live results and highlights here.