Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) can’t catch a break with its debut in Saudi Arabia.
UFC CEO, Dana White, took to Instagram for another fight change up announcement today (Weds., June 19, 2024). In a Middleweight prospect clash, Shara “Bullet” Magomedov (12-0) was set to take on Joilton Lutterbach until the latter was declared out, per White. No specific reason was given. Magomedov will now face Antonio Trocoli (12-3, 1 no contest), originally supposed to compete at UFC Vegas 93 this past weekend (June 15, 2024).
Update: Lutterbach shared the following in an Instagram story that he tested positive for a banned substance.
Joilton Lutterbach posted on his IG stories that he tested positive for a banned substance, which is the reason for his withdrawal (removal) from his bout with Shara Magomedov pic.twitter.com/65dmYN9nXB
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) June 19, 2024
The new match up will be Magomedov’s sophomore appearance in the Octagon after a successful unanimous decision win over Bruno Silva at UFC 294 this past October 2023 (watch highlights). Magomedov, 30, entered the promotion with a lot of hype and kept that attention post-fight, attracting proposals from fans for a fight with a top Middleweight like Marvin Vettori or Paulo Costa. Ultimately, the path to the top will be a slower one for Magomedov, depending on how he continues to perform.
Trocoli, 33, on the other hand, makes his debut against Magomedov after a failed 2019 attempt at getting into UFC through Dana White’s Contender Series against Kenneth Bergh. The Salvador Bahia, Brazil native last fought when he earned a first round rear-naked choke over Reslley Menezes in November 2021.
The full UFC Saudi Arabia line up can be seen below.
- 185 lbs.: Robert Whittaker vs. Ikram Aliskerov
- 265 lbs.: Sergei Pavlovich vs. Alexander Volkov
- 170 lbs.: Kelvin Gastelum vs. Daniel Rodriguez
- 205 lbs.: Johnny Walker vs. Volkan Oezdemir
- 205 lbs.: Shara Magomedov vs. Antonio Trocoli
- 155 lbs.: Nasrat Haqparast vs. Jared Gordon
- 170 lbs.: Rinat Fakhretdinov vs. Nicolas Dalby
- 135 lbs.: Kyung Ho Kang vs. Muin Gafurov
- 205 lbs.: Magomed Gadzhiyasulov vs. Brendson Ribeiro
- 185 lbs.: Sedriques Dumas vs. Denis Tiuliulin
- 135 lbs.: Xiao Long vs. Chang Ho Lee
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LIVE! Stream UFC Saudi Arabia On ESPN+
MIDDLEWEIGHT MAYHEM! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will return to KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky., on Sat., June 8, 2024, for just the second time in the promotion’s history — and the first time in more than 13 years — for a stacked “Fight Night”-themed event. In UFC Louisville’s main event, top-ranked Middleweight contenders Jared Cannonier (No. 4) and Nassourdine Imavov (No. 7) will look to get in the 185-pound title chase with a pivotal victory. In the co-feature, No. 14-seeded Light Heavyweight contender, Dominick Reyes, returns to action against Dustin Jacoby, in a fun 205-pound showdown.
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Saudi Arabia fight card right here, starting with the ESPN/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches, which are scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. ET, then the remaining main card balance (on ABC/ESPN+) at 3 p.m. ET.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC Saudi Arabia: “Whittaker vs. Aliskerov” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.
