Australia’s Jack Della Maddalena will no longer fight at UFC 290 after his American rival Josiah Harrell withdrew just hours after the official weigh-ins here in Las Vegas on Friday with “medical issues”.
In a huge blow for the reigning UFC Rookie of the Year, a second fighter has been removed from throwing down with him in as many weeks.
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However, USA Today MMA reporter Nolan King revealed Harrell’s diagnosis was much more complicated than “medical issues”, with the decision to pull the American from the fight one that could have saved his life.
“He (Harrell) was diagnosed with moyamoya syndrom, a rare disease that results in blocked arteries at the base of the brain,” King revealed on Twitter per Harrell’s manager Maurice Blanco.
“He will undergo a brain procedure soon.”
The drama follows on from American welterweight prospect Sean Brady also withdrawing last week with injury, prompting the Aussie to suggest he had “s … the bed”.
Even before this latest withdrawal, JDM had told Fox Sports Australia he wanted to now fight Brady at UFC 293 in Sydney, September 10.
When asked if that could happen this week however, UFC president Dana White was noncommittal — however it is almost certain however that UFC executives will have him on the Sydney card.
There were no other dramas for any of the other Australian fighters, or their fights, at the official weigh-ins early on Friday morning.
A shattered Maddalena, understandably, did not want to speak after hearing the news.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia earlier this week however, the Perth native insisted Brady owed him a Sydney showdown after he “s … the bed” and withdrew from was to be a hyped UFC 290 showdown.
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Ranked No.8 in the welterweight division, Brady withdrew last week with Streptococcus B in his left elbow, forcing the UFC into a mad scramble to find a replacement.
Enter Harrell – aka, Muscle Hamster – an Ohio wrestler undefeated in all seven professional appearances who only last month went viral during a fight where his monster takedown took an opponent into, then through a steel cage door.
Even prior to the Harrell withdrawal, Maddalena suggested he wanted to win Sunday and then fight again at UFC 293 in Sydney on September 10 against Brady.
While the American prospect lost his most recent fight against Belal Muhammad at UFC 280, the Philadelphia fighter had before that gone undefeated through his first 15 professional fights.
“So that’s the best case scenario,” the Aussie said of a Sydney showdown between the two young guns.
“And Sean Brady is a good test for me.
“It’s a cool fight, makes sense and a lot of people are into seeing it happen.
“Sean Brady was a young prospect last year and, while he had that tough loss (against Muhammad) it’s a great test for me.
“So now we can now just push the fight back a few weeks and go in Sydney.”
Asked if he felt Brady owed him the UFC 293 showdown, Maddalena continued: “Well, I got out here to fight him.
“I came out here and he’s the reason the fight didn’t go ahead.
“So, yeah, I do feel like he owes it to me.”