Report: Teixeira fight off again after Santos tests positive for COVID-19
The Glover Teixeira-Thiago Santos fight is off for a second time because the latter has tested positive for COVID-19, report Alexander K. Lee and Guilherme Cruz of MMA Fighting.
The two light heavyweights were slated to meet Oct. 3 in Abu Dhabi. The UFC initially booked them to headline a Sept. 12 card in Las Vegas, but the fight was postponed when Teixeira tested positive for the virus.
Santos and Teixeira are ranked second and fourth, respectively, among 205-pound contenders. The winner of their fight would have been a prime candidate to earn the first shot at either Dominick Reyes or Jan Blachowicz, who will fight for the light heavyweight title at UFC 253.
It's unclear whether the UFC plans to reschedule the bout again or seek a replacement opponent for the 40-year-old Teixeira, who's riding a four-fight win streak.
Santos, 36, hasn't stepped into the Octagon since tearing his ACL against then-champion Jon Jones at UFC 239 in July 2019.