Ilir Latifi’s medical problems kept him off UFC Columbus, and now they’ll prevent him from fighting at UFC 273.
The UFC confirmed on Thursday that the Swedish heavyweight’s rescheduled fight with Aleksei Oleinik has been nixed due to Latifi’s health. He made weight for UFC Columbus last week, only to have his fight cancelled on the day of the event due to what was termed a non-COVID illness. Evidently the two-week postponement was not enough to salvage the contest.
Stepping in to face Oleinik on April 9th in Jacksonville, FL is Jared Vanderaa (12-7), who is likely in desperate need of a win to keep his spot on the UFC roster.