Movsar Evloev’s anticipated return to the Octagon is reportedly in jeopardy.
According to a report from Red Corner MMA, Movsar Evloev has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled matchup against promotional newcomer Aaron Pico at the UFC Abu Dhabi event on July 26.
The undefeated Russian reportedly pulled out due to an undisclosed injury or health issue sustained during his training camp in Thailand, resulting in the bout’s cancellation less than two weeks out from Fight Night event at the Etihad Arena.
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As of now, it remains unclear whether Pico will remain on the fight card with a short-notice replacement or if the matchup will be rescheduled for a later date altogether.
The UFC Abu Dhabi event is set to be headlined by a pivotal middleweight clash between former champion Robert Whittaker and Reinier de Ridder. The main card also features the return of former bantamweight titleholder Petr Yan, who takes on rising contender Marcus McGhee, while Shara Magomedov is slated to meet Marc-André Barriault in a middleweight showdown.
Movsar Evloev was last seen in action at UFC 310 this past December, where he earned a unanimous decision victory over former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling. The win improved his UFC record to a perfect 9-0 and extended his overall unbeaten streak to 19-0.
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Evloev was widely regarded as a potential title challenger to reigning UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, but instead of waiting for a shot at gold, he opted to stay active by accepting a matchup against Aaron Pico, a bout that has now unfortunately been called off.
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