Cutelaba out of Ankalaev rematch after positive COVID-19 test

A rematch between Ion Cutelaba and Magomed Ankalaev has been pulled from UFC 252 after Cutelaba tested positive for COVID-19, his manager told Steven Marrocco and Damon Martin of MMA Fighting.

The two light heavyweights first met in February when Ankalaev picked up a TKO win in the first round. Cutelaba lobbied the referee shouldn't have called the fight because he wasn't actually knocked out. The 26-year-old said he was setting a trap for his opponent so he could counter.

"The Hulk" appealed his loss, but the result wasn't overturned.

This will be the second postponed rematch between Cutelaba and Ankalaev. The first was scheduled for UFC 249, but the event was scratched when the coronavirus pandemic hit.

The latest bout was scheduled for the UFC 252 main card, an event headlined by the trilogy bout between Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier.