Why was Curtis Blaydes' fight canceled at UFC 313? Explaining health condition that forced 'Razor' out of Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev prelims

Curtis Blaydes was scheduled to take on UFC debutant Rizvan Kuniev in the closing fight of the preliminary card of the UFC 313 pay-per-view.

This clash was set up to be Blaydes' return to action after suffering a first-round knockout loss in his interim heavyweight championship clash against Tom Aspinall at UFC 304. However, the American was forced to withdraw from the contest shortly before the event.

But why was Blaydes' fight against Kuniev canceled?

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Why was Curtis Blaydes' fight canceled at UFC 313?

Curtis Blaydes was forced to withdraw from UFC 313 due to a severe case of norovirus. The illness is known for causing intense vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. According to reports, Blaydes worked on his recovery through the night but ultimately had to pull out as his body did not cooperate.

His withdrawal was one of two last-minute cancellations for the event. John Castaneda vs. Chris Gutierrez was also scrapped due to Castaneda's illness.

Blaydes addressed the withdrawal on Facebook, stating:

"Last night, I got sick with norovirus. Worked through the night to try and recover, but my body wouldn’t cooperate. Fight [is] going to be booked for a later date. Apologize to fans and my opponent, [but] we will have this fight very soon.” [H/t: @mma_orbit on X]

Check out the X post below:

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Rizvan Kuniev gives a blunt reaction to Curtis Blaydes pulling out of their UFC 313 contest

Rizvan Kuniev was preparing to make a statement in his promotional debut against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 313. He earned a first-round TKO victory over Hugo Cunha on 'Dana White's Contender Series' (DWCS) and secured a UFC contract with that win.

Blaydes, however, was forced to withdraw from UFC 313 due to a case of norovirus. Kuniev took to Instagram to react to the news and wrote:

"Nothing can surprise me in this life anymore."

Check out Rizvan Kuniev's reaction below:

Rizvan Kuniev reacts to Curtis Blaydes' withdrawal. [Screenshot courtesy: @rizvan_kuniev on Instagram]