Update On UFC On ESPN 15 Co-Main Event

A premier middleweight bout for the UFC will no longer be going on as planned. As a result, Uriah Hall requires a new opponent.

BJ Penn was the first to report that Yoel Romero is out of his scheduled bout against Uriah Hall. The two were supposed to fight on August 22 at UFC on ESPN 15. Romero had to back out due to undisclosed reasons.

Romero (13-5) last fought in March at UFC 248, facing UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya. His fourth bout fighting a champion, Romero lost via unanimous decision in an affair that was controversial for the lack of action. It was his third loss in a row and he is 1-4 in his last five bouts. Romero is currently ranked fifth in the UFC middleweight rankings.

This is just another fight for Hall. The 35-year-old was supposed to face Ronaldo Souza at the original UFC 249 in Brooklyn before the fight was nixed. When the fight was rebooked to Florida, Souza tested positive for the coronavirus, canceling the bout right before fight night.

Hall is on a two-fight win streak and is 3-1 in his last four. “Prime Time” beat Antonio Carlos Junior back in September via split decision. If everything goes according to plan, the UFC will find an opponent for Hall.

UFC on ESPN 15 will be taking place inside the APEX Center in Las Vegas. The main event will be a bantamweight bout featuring the divisional debut of Frankie Edgar v. Pedro Munhoz.