Andrew Sanchez vs. Marvin Vettori Nixed From UFC Vancouver After Illness

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I’m here in Vancouver 100% ready to do work but you can’t help a scared coward. Not a single time I haven’t showed up at a scheduled fight, not a single time I’ve missed any duty related to my job. I’m ready to die for this! But I guess some people don’t see it that way. Im gonna take a moment to reset and ill be back on track. #theitaliandream #fighter #vancouver

A post shared by Marvin Vettori (@marvinvettori) on Sep 11, 2019 at 11:33pm PDT

Middleweights Andrew Sanchez and Marvin Vettori will have to wait a little while longer to lock horns, and Vettori is mad as a hornet about its cancellation.

Late Wednesday, TSN reported that the fight would no longer be on the UFC Fight Night 158 card this Saturday after Sanchez suffered an illness this week. Although it has been pulled from the card, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has since rescheduled it for UFC Fight Night 161 four weeks later. Since then, Vettori has posted on social media airing his grievances.

On his Instagram account, Vettori stated, "I'm here in Vancouver 100% ready to do work but you can't help a scared coward. Not a single time I haven't showed up at a scheduled fight, not a single time I've missed any duty related to my job. I'm ready to die for this! But I guess some people don't see it that way. [I'm] gonna take a moment to reset and [I'll] be back on track."

In a subsequent interview with MMAJunkie, Vettori unleashed a tirade towards his former opponent, claiming that the American was "scared" and that Vettori wanted to "crush his face."

"The guy is scared, man…he's not a tough guy, I think he's a giant p---y," claimed Vettori. "I mean, he bailed on me already a year ago, or a year-and-a-half ago, he was coming from two losses, he didn't want to risk to get cut or something like that. And then now he's coming from two wins and I think he got a little confidence and was like 'oh, maybe I can take this risk.'"

On Thursday morning, Sanchez posted on his own Instagram apologizing for the withdrawal and explained what happened. According to his doctors, he suffered an eye infection that could not be treated by conventional medicine, and he could not be cleared for competition. He also announced the new date for his meeting with Vettori, which will be on Oct. 12 in Tampa, Florida, at UFC Fight Night 161.

UFC Fight Night 158 takes place on Sept. 14 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, where it will be headlined by a lightweight battle between Donald Cerrone and Justin Gaethje.