Bekoev Out of UFC Vegas 123, Petroski Bout Scrapped

Azamat Bekoev has withdrawn from his October 31 middleweight bout with Andre Petroski at UFC Vegas 123, five days before the event. He said he suffered an anaphylactic reaction and passed out in a CVS store.

Bekoev described it on X. A couple of days earlier he had reached the store within minutes and was able to get medication, but he lost consciousness inside, and staff called an ambulance that took him to the hospital. "Hello everybody, unfortunately, I have to pull out of my fight," he wrote.

He apologized to Petroski, to the UFC and to the fans who were waiting for the fight. "I've never pulled out of a fight before, and this is not something I take lightly," he said. "My health has to come first. I'll focus on recovering, and I'll be back soon."

No replacement for Petroski

The UFC usually finds a replacement when a fighter drops out. That did not happen here. Petroski confirmed he would not fight a replacement opponent, so the promotion cancelled the bout. The Fight Night card, headlined by Renato Moicano vs. Tom Nolan at lightweight, had 12 bouts scheduled and is now down one. Petroski is booked to face Mantas Kondratavicius at UFC Vegas 124 next month.

Bekoev is the third fighter to leave the card. Gaston Bolanos withdrew from his fight with Francis Marshall after a cut in training. Carlos Leal pulled out of a welterweight bout with Randy Brown because of a leg injury. Both of those opponents accepted replacements, and that is the difference with Petroski's case.

Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction, usually set off by an allergen such as certain foods, medications or insect stings. Symptoms range from mild to severe, and it can be life-threatening. Treatment typically involves epinephrine along with other medications and supportive care. Recovery usually takes a few days, though severe cases can take several weeks.

The seriousness of Bekoev's condition is not known, and more details will come only if he or his team makes them public.

Withdrawals after an anaphylactic reaction are rare in the UFC. In November 2021, Jessica Eye was set to face Andrea Lee, but she visited a restaurant and unknowingly ate fish eggs wrapped in sushi. The allergic reaction forced her out of the fight. It is unclear whether her reaction was anaphylactic.

Source: EssentiallySports