It has not taken long for an option to emerge after one of the top names competing at UFC 320 was left without an opponent.
The Octagon is back at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena this Saturday, as the UFC stages its latest pay-per-view event in ‘Sin City’.
Two title fights will top the lineup, with Merab Dvalishvili’s title defense against Cory Sandhagen setting the stage for light heavyweight king Magomed Ankalaev’s rematch versus Alex Pereira in the main event.
A number of other notable contenders and prospects were booked to make the walk at UFC 320, including a middleweight powerhouse described as ‘mini Francis Ngannou’ by some owing to his nationality and brutal finishing ability.
While he’d hoped to display that again on October 4, Ateba Gautier is currently opponent-less after the withdrawal of Ozzy Diaz.
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Petr Yan steps in with teammate who can save Ateba Gautier’s UFC 320 spot
Gautier was due to headline the prelims against Diaz, but an unspecified “medical” issue has forced the American to pull out of Saturday’s PPV.
The plan appears to be for ‘The Silent Assassin’ to remain on the card, and a potential replacement opponent who can make that happen looks to have stepped forward.
Former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan took to social media soon after news of Diaz’s withdrawal broke, pitching a late-notice fight between Gautier and Ilyas Khamzin.
“My friend Ilyas Khamzin is in Vegas and ready to step in for this one,” Yan wrote on X.
Khamzin, a 14-3 pro out of Russia, has won his last three combat sports fights, two of which came in the Karate Combat Pit. While the 34-year-old is coming off a first-round victory, the man he is pushing to face inside the Octagon knows little but fast finishes.
Gautier ended his UFC 318 fight in 70 seconds this past July, marking his sixth first-round finish in eight pro wins.
UFC 320 could have a backup for the Magomed Ankalaev vs Alex Pereira main event
It has not taken long for the UFC 320 card to take a hit, and after a trip to Perth that saw five matchups fall off the lineup, the promotion may well look to employ a backup for the headliner.
Fortunately, the higher-ups already have one man ready and willing to hit the scales on Friday in case of any mishaps involving Ankalaev and Pereira.
After Carlos Ulberg knocked out Dominick Reyes at UFC Perth, the Kiwi star requested the backup spot to Hunter Campbell inside the cage before reiterating his willingness to make weight twice in two weeks during his post-fight press conference.
“I was speaking to Hunter just after the fight. I asked him to fly me to Vegas (for UFC 320),” Ulberg said.
“I also said then and there, ‘I will be the backup for that fight.’ I am here to break records, man. This is what I want to do.
“I don’t think anybody has, from the top of my head…fought a fight and then also the very next weekend, fought for the title,” Ulberg continued. “That is what I envision, that is what I feel like can happen.
“I’ll get the job done.”
It has not yet been announced whether or not the UFC will take Ulberg up on his offer.