March 3 event has been canned, on what would have been first part of double header on the eve of UFC 209.
What was first reported on MMAjunkie on Tuesday has also been confirmed by UFC.
While UFC Fight Night 106 will no longer go ahead; it is worth noting that no details (venue, fight details) were confirmed for the card. No reason has been given by the promotion for the cancellation.
In addition to the scrapping of this event, UFC 208 was also canceled after confirmation of a date [January 21] and venue [Anaheim, California]. UFC 208 has been subsequently adjusted to Feb. 11 in Brooklyn, N.Y. Anaheim will host an event on August 5, however.
There is no speculation that UFC 209 on March 4 at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena will be affected, with details of a headlining, rematch between welterweight champion Tyron Woodley and Steven Thompson confirmed on Monday. “Wonderboy” spoke to Fox Sports, confirming that he had agreed to the bout before Christmas:
“I just signed the contract that was put in front of me. I didn’t ask for it, I didn’t beg for it. We signed it and sent it right back.
We didn’t negotiate more money or anything. Signed it and sent it back.
“He’s got the bout agreement and he’s probably looking at it right now. UFC wants this fight to happen. We just have unfinished business. As a champion for me, if it was the other way around and I was in Tyron’s shoes, I just couldn’t feel right moving on from that last fight. It was a draw. I didn’t win and there’s a lot of fans that would see this as unfinished business and I just can’t leave it that way. That’s not who I am.
“As a champion, he should be taking this fight because we have not yet determined the winner of it.”
Woodley’s subsequent confirmation of the date has all but tied up an eagerly anticipated 2nd fight between the two, following the [majority] draw decision at UFC 205 which saw the champion retain his belt.
“T-Wood” stated (Via Fox Sports):
“March 4, UFC 209 in Las Vegas, Nevada, what I believe to be the T-Mobile Center, you will see “Wonderboy” get the worst ass whooping of his life.
“Hopefully all his fans and all his over entitlement will cease at that moment and we can do a eulogy for it.”
Fans eager to watch the first event of 2017’s roster will not have to wait long for the upcoming “UFC Fight Night 103: Rodriguez vs. Penn”. The event is scheduled to take place this Sunday in Phoenix, Arizona. You can watch the prelims and on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass, before the main card which will air on FS1.
