An Ultimate Fighting Championship event set to go down at the
promotion’s Apex facility in Las Vegas will undergo a significant
change two weeks before fight night.
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Undefeated Russian prospect Azamat
Murzakanov (13-0) was originally scheduled to take on Khalil
Rountree (12-5) in a light heavyweight clash in the co-main
event at UFC
Fight Night 233 on Dec. 9. However, UFC CEO Dana White announced
that Murzakanov is now out of the matchup due to pneumonia and will
be replaced by Anthony
Smith (37-18).
Smith is coming off a split-decision win in a rematch against
Ryan
Spann at UFC Fight Night 233 that saw him bounce back from
consecutive losses against top contenders Magomed
Ankalaev and Johnny
Walker. The former title challenger’s last win prior to that
also came against Spann via first-round submission in September
2021.
Meanwhile, Rountree is riding a four-fight win streak, which
includes technical knockout wins over Modestas
Bukauskas, Karl
Roberson and Chris
Daukaus.
UFC Fight Night 233 will be headlined by a bantamweight matchup
between rising contenders Yadong Song
(20-7) and Chris
Gutierrez (20-5).