Pearl Gonzalez cleared to fight at UFC 210 after being pulled for breast implants
UPDATE: The New York State Athletic Commission has cleared Pearl Gonzalez to fight at UFC 210 after “careful consideration.”
News circulated after the early weigh ins for UFC 210 that Pearl Gonzalez would be unable to compete due to a rule that doesn’t allow women with breast implants to fight. However, a statement was later released by the NYSAC that put her back into her main card fight with Cynthia Calvillo.
“After careful consideration and review, including a conversation with Pearl Gonzalez’s treating physician, the Commission has determined that Ms. Gonzalez is medically cleared to participate in the UFC 210 event in Buffalo, NY.”
The statement provided no further information.
ORIGINAL STORY: Pearl Gonzalez was scheduled to make her UFC debut on the main card of UFC 210 Saturday night in a strawweight showdown with Cynthia Calvillo. However, in a bizarre turn of events, Gonzalez was pulled from the event shortly after making weight.
After some confusion, it was revealed that Gonzalez was yanked from the card due to having breast implants. According to the New York State Athletic Commission, fighters with breast implants are not allowed to compete.
I'm told the Calvillo-Gonzalez has been canceled. Per NYSAC, female fighters are not allowed to have implants, thus ruling out Gonzalez.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) April 7, 2017
“Due to the concern over rupture, boxers who have breast implants are not eligible to box in New York,” the rule book explains, which goes for mixed martial artists as well as boxers. “Boxers who have had breast reduction surgeries are eligible to box.”
Gonzalez is the first UFC woman pulled from a fight due to this rule since the ban of mixed martial arts was lifted in New York last year. To date, the list of women who have competed includes Miesha Tate, Raquel Pennington, Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Joanna Jedrzejczyk. It is not known if the fight will be rescheduled.
