Josiah Harrell’s withdrawal from UFC 290 was a significant disappointment, but his management sees it as a “blessing in disguise.”
On the eve of Saturday’s show at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the finale of International Fight Week, Harrell (7-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) was pulled from the event due to what the promotion first described as a “medical issue.”
After Harrell’s anticipated promotional debut against Jack Della Maddalena (14-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) was canceled, his manager Maurice Blanco of First Round Management notified MMA Junkie that his fighter would be pulled out due to an irregularity on a routine pre-fight brain MRI.
As per reports from MMA Junkie, Harrell was diagnosed with Moyamoya disease, a dangerous and rare disorder that can cause clotting at the base of the brain, based on scans. Blanco stated that the MRI “may have saved his life” and that Harrell is scheduled to undergo brain surgery shortly.
Per his manager Maurice Blanco: Josiah Harrell’s #UFC290 pre-fight brain MRI may have saved his life. He was diagnosed with moyamoya syndrome, a rare disease that results in blocked arteries at the base of the brain. He will undergo a brain procedure soon. https://t.co/vYfG17SJmL
— Nolan King (@mma_kings) July 7, 2023
Blanco claims Harrell was previously unaware he had the condition. The brain MRI before UFC 290 was Harrell’s first in his MMA career. Blanco commended the UFC and the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) for the extensive medical tests, which he said the three previous states Harrell competed in as a professional did not do.
Jalin Turner misses weight by 2-pounds
Jalin Turner, a UFC lightweight contender, was unable to fulfill the weight limit for his planned bout against Dan Hooker during the UFC 290 weigh-ins.
Only one competitor missed the weigh-in on Friday morning, lightweight contender Jalin Turner. He was the last competitor to arrive for weigh-ins, and when he walked up to the scale, he weighed 158 lbs, which was two pounds over than the limit for his match against Dan Hooker (155.5).
Jalin Turner is over the lightweight limit, coming in at 158 pounds ⚖️ #UFC290 pic.twitter.com/Ep4fYa4xkh
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) July 7, 2023
Considering this, his scheduled fight with Hooker will go forward as planned, although Turner will be fined 20% of his fight purse as a result.
Fans quickly moved the blame for Turner’s weight loss onto unbeaten welterweight contender Khamzat Chimaev, claiming their recent training sessions together in Dubai as the culprit. A few fans even accused Jalin Turner of being a “weight bully.”
At UFC 290, the main event will be a featherweight title battle between 145-pound kingpin Alexander Volkanovski and interim champ Yair Rodriguez. In the co-main event, flyweight champion Brandon Moreno will defend his title for the first time in his second reign against Alexandre Pantoja. Both individuals successfully weighed in at the 125-pound flyweight limit.