A bantamweight clash pitting Umar
Nurmagomedov against Sergey
Morozov will take place three days earlier than expected, as it
has been moved from
UFC 257 on Jan. 23 to
UFC on ESPN 20 on Jan. 20.
MMA journalist Igor Lazorin was first to
report the change. UFC on ESPN 20 takes place at Etihad Arena
in Abu Dhabi and is headlined by a welterweight scrap between
Neil
Magny and Michael
Chiesa.
Nurmagomedov was scheduled to make his Octagon debut on three
separate occasions — including against Morozov at UFC 254 — in
2020, but each time the bout was scrapped for various reasons. The
Eagles MMA representative is 12-0 as a professional, with stints in
the Professional Fighters League and Fight Nights Global promotions
on his resume.
Morozov will enter his first promotional foray on a five-bout
winning streak. The 31-year-old M-1 Global champion is coming off a
title defense against Josh
Rettinghouse at M-1 Challenge 105 in October 2019. A native of
Kazakhstan, Morozov owns a 16-4 professional mark overall.