LAS VEGAS — Bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes has been scratched from her title defence against Valentina Shevchenko after being hospitalized just a few hours before UFC 213.

UFC President Dana White confirmed the pay-per-view show's main event was cancelled Saturday.

The UFC didn't immediately reveal why Nunes was hospitalized.

Nunes (14-4) claimed the 135-pound title from Miesha Tate last July. After Nunes stopped Ronda Rousey in December, she was scheduled to make her second title defence in a rematch with Shevchenko (14-2).

Instead, for the second straight year, the UFC has been forced to cancel the main event of its annual International Fight Week show at late notice.

Last July, Jon Jones was removed from his bout against Daniel Cormier three days before for violating the UFC's anti-doping policy.

A few hours later, White said to reporters that the early thought was to re-book the fight for UFC 215 in Edmonton.