COVID-19 Protocols Nix Marcus Almeida-Hugo Cunha at One Championship 157

The previously scheduled fight between Buchecha and Hugo Cunha has been postponed due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols.#WeAreONE #ONEChampionship

— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) May 19, 2022

One Championship on Thursday announced that multiple-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Marcus Almeida would not be facing Hugo Cunha at One Championship 157 due to COVID-19 protocols. The heavyweights were scheduled to collide on Friday at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore. It marks the second time Almeida has lost an opponent mere hours before an event. The American Top Team representative was supposed to lock horns with Oumar Kane in April, only to see the match fall off the card a few days prior.

Almeida (2-0, 2-0 One Championship) started his mixed martial arts career on the right foot when he submitted Anderson “Braddock” Silva with a north-south choke 2:55 into the opening round of their One Championship “Revolution” encounter on Sept. 24. He followed it with a second submission in December, when he dispatched Ji Won Kang via rear-naked choke in 2:27 at One Championship “Winter Warriors.”

Cunha (6-1, 0-1 One Championship) had been looking to bounce back from a split decision loss to Dustin Joynson in his promotional debut at One Championship “Bad Blood” on Feb. 11. The Tata Fight Team standout had finished his six previous opponents.