Montano to vacate flyweight title; Shevchenko to fight for vacant belt

UFC President Dana White announced Friday that current flyweight champion Nicco Montano will be stripped of the title after being forced to pull out of her UFC 228 bout with Valentina Shevchenko, according to SportsCenter's Phil Murphy.

White also said Shevchenko will fight for the vacant belt as soon as she's able.

Montano was transported to a hospital Friday morning prior to UFC 228 weigh-ins. Her bout with No. 1 contender Shevchenko was cancelled shortly after, with her team citing kidney issues.

Montano was named the UFC's inaugural women's flyweight champ after taking a unanimous decision over Roxanne Modafferi at "The Ultimate Fighter 26" finale in December.

Shevchenko recently moved down from bantamweight and quickly climbed the ranks to earn a title fight in her new division.