Josiah Harrell ’s UFC 290 withdrawal was a major disappointment, but his manager is calling it a “blessing in disguise.” On the eve of Saturday’s card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the peak of International Fight Week, Harrell (7-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) was removed from the event due to what the promotion initially vaguely called a “medical issue.” Hours after Harrell’s scheduled promotional debut vs. Jack Della Maddalena (14-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) was canceled , his manager Maurice Blanco of First Round Management, informed MMA Junkie his fighter was removed due to an abnormality on a routine pre-fight brain MRI. Scans diagnosed Harrell has Moyamoya disease, a serious and rare abnormality that can cause clotting at the base of the brain. Blanco said the MRI “may have saved his life” and added that Harrell is expected to undergo brain surgery soon. 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
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