With Nassourdine Imavov pulled from UFC 273 attributable to visa points, the UFC has found a replace opponent for dilapidated meantime middleweight title challenger Kelvin Gastelum.
ESPN’s Brett Okamoto reported that Dricus du Plessis, who was once already scheduled to face Anthony Hernandez on the April ninth card, will gather a huge opportunity in opposition to Gastelum in but one other opponent switch for the South African. Du Plessis was once at the foundation going to fight Chris Curtis, handiest to be switched to Hernandez after Hernandez’s opponent Albert Duraev withdrew attributable to harm.
The #10 ranked Gastelum (16-8, 1 NC) has lost five out of his closing six, most neutral no longer too long ago suffering a name defeat to top contender Jared Cannonier. His handiest rep since 2019 is a name over Ian Heinisch. Du Plessis (16-2) is a dilapidated KSW and two-division EFC champion whose two UFC appearances beget resulted in knockouts over Markus Perez and Trevin Giles. All of du Plessis’ 16 wins beget advance by capability of stoppage, and he’ll be going up in opposition to a foe in Gastelum who’s by no come been knocked out and handiest submitted by Jack Hermansson and Chris Weidman.
As for ‘Fluffy’ Hernandez, all is now not any longer lost! Per MMA Struggling with, he’ll select on newcomer and dilapidated LFA title challenger Josh Fremd, who was once signed after a hit on Dana White’s Lookin’ For a Fight sequence.
UFC 273 takes arena in Jacksonville, FL with a vital event between featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and Chan Sung Jung aka ‘The Korean Zombie.’ Men’s bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling rematches dilapidated champ Petr Yan in the co-vital.
