UFC 311 has been rocked by an unexpected change just days before the highly anticipated event, as Arman Tsarukyan has been forced to withdraw from his lightweight title fight against Islam Makhachev due to a back injury.
The news broke Friday morning during the official weigh-ins, which was later confirmed by UFC President Dana White on Instagram.
Tsarukyan, who had been preparing for the title bout, was last seen on media day Wednesday and the press conference Thursday, showing no visible signs of injury. The timing and circumstances surrounding the injury remain unclear.
In a swift turn of events, Renato Moicano will now take Tsarukyan’s place and challenge Makhachev (26-1 MMA, 15-1 UFC) for the lightweight belt. Moicano (20-5-1 MMA, 12-5 UFC) had originally been scheduled to face Beneil Dariush at UFC 311, but now gets the opportunity of a lifetime. He posted his reaction to the news on social media after the announcement was confirmed.
Despite ranking lower at No. 10 in the UFC lightweight standings, Moicano is on a four-fight winning streak and enters the title fight with significant momentum, most recently defeating Benoit Saint Denis last September.
Dariush, ranked No. 9 in the lightweight division, will no longer compete at UFC 311, making way for Moicano’s surprise shot at the title.
The card, which will take place on pay-per-view, still features several exciting matchups, including a bantamweight title fight between champion Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov, as well as a highly anticipated showdown between Jamahal Hill and Jiri Prochazka. Other notable fights include Jailton Almeida vs. Serghei Spivac and Kevin Holland vs. Reinier de Ridder.
UFC 311 promises to deliver high-stakes action from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. It goes live at 7 PM / PST on Saturday, 18th January.
