Fans turned up to UFC Vegas 106 expecting a fight between bruisers in the co-main event. Paul Craig‘s return to light heavyweight, against Brazil’s Rodolfo Bellato, had all the makings of a brutal back-and-forth battle. But as soon as the fighters were about to walk out, disaster struck. Craig’s bout was abruptly cancelled and replaced by a featherweight matchup with little notice. No injury footage. No evident backstage incident. Just confusion. So, why was it called off? Well, we finally have an answer, and it is as bizarre as they get.
After hours of confusion, the big reveal finally came that shocked many. The cause behind the fight cancellation was herpes. Yes, that’s herpes. The fight didn’t end because of a severe weight cut or twisted ankle, but because of a medical red flag that caught everyone by surprise. Initially, the UFC broadcast team kept things vague, citing an unnamed “medical issue.”
There was no additional information provided by either camp, leaving fans to guess. Given the high stakes for Craig and Bellato, both of whom were eager to recover from recent failures, many assumed it was something dramatic or strategic. A tough weight loss? A failed pre-fight medical? But then Bellato turned to Instagram and explained the cause himself in a story that quickly went viral.
“I never thought that herpes would take me out of a fight!” Bellato posted. “I’m sorry, all of you guys, but it’s something that’s out of our control. I’ll have more news soon!” His apology, despite being short, was really earnest. However, it equally left more questions than answers—was this a recently diagnosed case? A flare-up of a chronic condition? Was it visible that the commission intervened?
Bellato has not revealed these details yet, and the UFC remains silent. Bellato’s timing could not have been worse. He had just recently begun to get traction in the UFC, coming off a devastating second-round TKO victory over Ihor Potieria in December.
That win, combined with his brutal performance on Dana White’s Contender Series, established him as a fighter to watch in the light heavyweight division. But just when he was gaining momentum, he found himself at the center of one of the strangest pullouts in recent memory. This is a developing story.
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