Azamat Murzakanov now faces Brendson Ribeiro at UFC 316 after Brazilian gentle heavyweight Johnny Walker was pressured off the June 7 pay-per-view occasion in Newark, N.J., MMA Preventing confirmed following a report from Tremendous Lutas.
It’s nonetheless unclear what led to Walker’s removing from the bout.
Murzakanov (14-0) seems to be to increase his UFC successful streak to 5 in New Jersey. He hasn’t fought since a bonus-winning knockout over Alonzo Menifield in August 2024, his second $50,000 award within the firm. The Courageous CF openweight grand prix winner has additionally scored UFC stoppages in opposition to Tafon Nchukwi and Devin Clark.
Former Shooto Brazil champion Ribeiro (17-7, 1 no contest) had his again in opposition to the wall after a 0-2 begin within the promotion versus Zhang Mingyang and Magomed Gadzhiyasulov, however turned issues round with a lackluster determination over Caio Machado and a second-round kimura win in opposition to beforehand unbeaten Diyar Nurgozhay.
UFC 316 happen at Prudential Middle and options males’s bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili defending his title in a important occasion rematch with Sean O’Malley. Julianna Peña co-headlines the present, placing the ladies’s 135-pound belt on the road in opposition to two-time PFL champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison.
Mike Heck contributed to this report.
