The middle event on next month’s UFC Fight Island will be headlined by Michael Chiesa’s welterweight clash against Neil Magny, after Khamzat Chimaev was forced to withdraw from his bout having suffered complications from contracting Covid-19.
The breakthrough star of 2020, Chimaev was initially to headline the January 20 Fight Night in the capital against Leon Edwards, in a hotly anticipated match-up. However, news broke on Tuesday that the Chechen-born fighter was forced to pull out, although no official reason was given.
Chimaev’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, since said in a statement, released initially to ESPN: “Khamzat had coronavirus and when he went back to gym, his lungs did not recover 100 per cent. He needs time for his lungs to recover, and right now it’s about taking that necessary time.”
It marks the second time Covid-19 has derailed the bout. Edwards and Chimaev were to originally meet this month in Las Vegas, but the Englishman, the division’s No 3-ranked challenger, had to withdraw after testing positive for Covid.
Speaking to reporter “The Schmo” on Thursday, UFC president Dana White said the fight would be pushed back to another date, which has yet to be determined.
“The doctor told him when he went back to the gym - I guess he was having problems with his lungs, whatever that was - so they told him to take some more time off and not start training until early January,” White said. “We’re going to push that fight back.”
White then confirmed that the previously scheduled co-main event would be promoted to the main. Chiesa, whose professional record stands at 17-4, comes into the encounter on a three-fight win streak having moved up to welterweight from lightweight two years ago. However, he has not fought since his January 25 success against Rafael dos Anjos.
Meanwhile, Magny (24-7) also enjoys three victories on the bounce, all of which came in 2020. He last fought Robbie Lawler, earning a unanimous decision in Las Vegas in August.
The three-event Fight Island series begins on January 16 with the headliner between Max Holloway and Calvin Kattar, and concludes eight days later with UFC 257. Conor McGregor's rematch with Dustin Poirier tops the bill.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Glossary of a stock market revolution
Reddit
A discussion website
Redditor
The users of Reddit
Robinhood
A smartphone app for buying and selling shares
Short seller
Selling a stock today in the belief its price will fall in the future
Short squeeze
Traders forced to buy a stock they are shorting
Naked short
An illegal practice
Green ambitions
- Trees: 1,500 to be planted, replacing 300 felled ones, with veteran oaks protected
- Lake: Brown's centrepiece to be cleaned of silt that makes it as shallow as 2.5cm
- Biodiversity: Bat cave to be added and habitats designed for kingfishers and little grebes
- Flood risk: Longer grass, deeper lake, restored ponds and absorbent paths all meant to siphon off water
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The five pillars of Islam
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Dubai Women's Tour teams
Agolico BMC
Andy Schleck Cycles-Immo Losch
Aromitalia Basso Bikes Vaiano
Cogeas Mettler Look
Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport
Hitec Products – Birk Sport
Kazakhstan National Team
Kuwait Cycling Team
Macogep Tornatech Girondins de Bordeaux
Minsk Cycling Club
Pannonia Regional Team (Fehérvár)
Team Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Team Ciclotel
UAE Women’s Team
Under 23 Kazakhstan Team
Wheel Divas Cycling Team
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Sunday's Super Four matches
Dubai, 3.30pm
India v Pakistan
Abu Dhabi, 3.30pm
Bangladesh v Afghanistan
Match info:
Burnley 0
Manchester United 2
Lukaku (22', 44')
Red card: Marcus Rashford (Man United)
Man of the match: Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United)
The biog
Name: Fareed Lafta
Age: 40
From: Baghdad, Iraq
Mission: Promote world peace
Favourite poet: Al Mutanabbi
Role models: His parents
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The five pillars of Islam
More on Quran memorisation:
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs: 2017 Dodge Viper SRT
Price, base / as tested Dh460,000
Engine 8.4L V10
Transmission Six-speed manual
Power 645hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 813Nm @ 5,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 16.8L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
T20 World Cup Qualifier
October 18 – November 2
Opening fixtures
Friday, October 18
ICC Academy: 10am, Scotland v Singapore, 2.10pm, Netherlands v Kenya
Zayed Cricket Stadium: 2.10pm, Hong Kong v Ireland, 7.30pm, Oman v UAE
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Rameez Shahzad, Darius D’Silva, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zawar Farid, Ghulam Shabber, Junaid Siddique, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Waheed Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Zahoor Khan
Players out: Mohammed Naveed, Shaiman Anwar, Qadeer Ahmed
Players in: Junaid Siddique, Darius D’Silva, Waheed Ahmed