Cesar Almeida has been confirmed as the replacement for undefeated middleweight Baisangur Susurkaev at UFC 334, where he will face Donte Johnson.
Susurkaev, who entered the event with an unblemished record, is out of the bout, and Almeida agreed to step in on short notice. The change was confirmed by MMA outlets tracking the card for UFC 334.
Almeida’s entry into the matchup gives Johnson a different stylistic test than originally planned. Susurkaev had been seen as one of the more dangerous young middleweights in the division, and his absence reshapes expectations for the fight.
UFC 334 joins a busy stretch for the promotion, with UFC 332 taking place Saturday in Salt Lake City, where Natalia Silva defends her flyweight title against Wang Cong at the Delta Center. UFC Vegas 121 also featured Yazmin Jauregui’s return to victory over Vanessa Demopoulos after a two-year layoff.
The full UFC 334 card and date have not been finalized in reporting beyond the Almeida-Johnson middleweight matchup.
