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Josiah Harrell, a 7-0 welterweight who was set to make his UFC debut this weekend at UFC 290, was pulled from his bout following Friday’s weigh-ins after a pre-fight MRI discovered a rare brain disease.
The discovery of moyamoya, “a rare blood vessel disorder in which the carotid artery in the skull becomes blocked or narrowed,” will force Harrell to undergo brain surgery. The good news, however, is that the condition is not believed to be career-ending.
Harrell was scheduled to fight Jack Della Maddalena on Saturday night’s card.
He was a late replacement for Sean Brady and was taking the fight on six days notice. In the previous jurisdictions Harrell competed in, pre-fight MRI scans were not required, so the late-fight notice allowed the MRI to take place and the condition to be discovered by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
While it is an unfortunate situation, it is a blessing in disguise for the newcomer who plans to return to the cage as soon as he recovers from surgery.
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
UFC 290 takes place on Saturday, July 8, beginning with the preliminary card on ESPN+ at 6:00 p.m. ET. The prelims shift to ABC and ESPN at 8:00 p.m. ET with Robbie Lawler taking on Niko Price in his retirement fight as the featured prelim. The main card begins at 10:00 p.m. ET on pay-per-view.
