UFC middleweight hospitalized, pulled from Jacksonville bout on ESPN+ (Updated)

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight Karl Roberson was hospitalized and removed from the UFC Jacksonville fight card, which takes place later tonight (Weds., May 13, 2020) on ESPN+ from inside VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.

Unlike last week’s COVID-19 debacle with Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, Roberson’s illness was not related to coronavirus and instead a byproduct of his failed weight cut, which left him at 187.5 for his Marvin Vettori fight on the UFC Jacksonville main card.

“Kevin Holland, who is scheduled to fight Saturday, has volunteered to replace Roberson and face Vettori,” Ariel Helwani wrote on ESPN. “Holland has said he can make weight in an hour and would be willing to fight Saturday as well, if healthy.”

“Due to medical issues unrelated to COVID-19 after his weight cut, Karl Roberson has been pulled from his Wednesday bout with Marvin Vettori at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville,” UFC wrote in its official statement. “The UFC Fight Night card, headlined by the bout between Anthony Smith and Glover Teixeira, will proceed as scheduled with 10 bouts.”

For the revised UFC Jacksonville fight card and line up click here.