Nicco Montano Losses Her UFC Flyweight Title After Being Hospitalized Prior To Weigh-Ins
Nicco Montano’s title reign lasted less than a year and will be stripped off without even have a single defense in her kitty according to UFC president Dana White.
Montano removed from the UFC 228 pay-per-view card earlier on Friday, which she was scheduled to co-headline against former bantamweight title contender Valentina Shevchenko. Montano was transported to a hospital before the Friday’s official weigh-ins due to kidney-related issues. Due to that Shevchenko, will not remain on the card.
White said Montano is no longer a UFC champion.
“The belt becomes vacated,” White said in an interview with Megan Olivi on the FOX Sports 1 UFC 228 weigh-in show (shown above). “So, the title is vacated. Obviously, Shevchenko is dying to fight for this title. So we’re in the process right now of trying to make another fight.”
.@danawhite on what's next for the Women's Flyweight division. pic.twitter.com/F8hz5Zo59v
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) September 7, 2018
Montano didn’t fight since she defeated Roxanne Modafferi via decision in the main event of The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale last December and captured the inaugural flyweight title.
Shevchenko has long said that Montano has tried to avoid fighting her at all costs and expressed her unhappiness with her unprofessional behavior. ‘The Bullet’ did her flyweight debut back in February where she picked a win after battering Priscila Cachoeira via decision.
White was unsure of who Shevchenko will fight but insisted she’ll have another fight before the end of this year and indeed for the vacated title.
UFC 228 PPV event is set to go down on Saturday night Sept 8, from Dallas, with the main headliner features a title fight between current welterweight champion Tyron Woodley against undefeated Darren Till.
