Bantamweights Song Yadong and Ricky Simon will now headline UFC Vegas 72 after Renato Moicano‘s injury forced the original main event to be canceled.
Bantamweights Song Yadong and Ricky Simon were just days away from clashing at UFC Vegas 71 but instead, they’ll wait another week after being bumped to the main event at UFC Vegas 72 on April 29. The switch was announced by UFC officials on Monday after Renato Moicano suffered an injury that forced him out of the originally scheduled headliner against Arman Tsarukyan. With Moicano out, Tsarukyan was pulled from the card entirely.
Now, Song and Simon will step into the main event with the fight being scheduled for five rounds. The fight will serve as Song’s second consecutive headliner after he faced Cory Sandhagen this past September before ultimately losing the fight due to a doctor’s stoppage after the fourth round. Prior to that setback, Song had rattled off three straight wins including a knockout over one-time UFC title challenger Marlon Moraes.
As for Simon, he looks to build on his current five-fight win streak, which is the most momentum he’s had since joining the UFC roster. During that run, Simon has picked up impressive victories over names such as Jack Shore, Raphael Assuncao, and Brian Kelleher. Simon will attempt to make it six in a row when he faces Song in a matchup that could propel the winner towards a marquee matchup near the top of the bantamweight division.
With Simon vs. Song moving to UFC Vegas 72, the upcoming UFC Vegas 71 card is expected to move forward with 12 total fights with Curtis Blaydes taking on Sergei Pavlovich in the main event.