Well, this is a first. According to MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani, UFC fighter Pearl Gonzalez has been ruled out of Saturday night’s UFC 210 card in Buffalo by the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) for a unique reason: she has breast implants.
Gonzalez was informed of the ruling after weigh-ins on Friday; the NYSAC states that their policy is there to protect fighters from the chance of their implants rupturing during a fight. However, retired UFC champion Miesha Tate previously fought in New York City last year, despite also having breast implants. One thing that remains a mystery is why NYSAC couldn’t tell Gonzalez of this rule before weigh-ins on Friday.
The UFC 210 fight between Gonzalez and Cynthia Calvillo was to be the former’s debut for the company, after she racked up a 7-1 record as an amateur. As of press time, both fighters’ camps are hopeful that UFC can get the NYSAC to overturn the decision in time for the fight, and UFC officials are optimistic that they will succeed in getting Gonzalez into the fight.
The Chicago-raised brawler, who describes herself as a “variety pack” of heritages, including Mexico and Puerto Rico, was hailed as a strong addition to the strawweight division (106 to 115 pounds), but this decision, if not overturned, puts a damper on what was to be her anticipated debut.