UFC 288: Bryce Mitchell Out, Diego Lopes Debut vs Movsar Evloev
Another bout is changed at UFC 288 due to injury, leading to Brazil’s Deigo Lopes making his UFC debut against Movsar Evloev.
Bryce Mitchell was set to face Movsar Evloev on the main card of UFC 288 in a featherweight bout. UFC President Dana White announced on social media that Mitchell has hurt his back and is bout of the event.
Replacing Mitchell is 28 years old Brazilian Deigo Lopes who has 26 fights experience(21-5 record), but will be making his UFC debut with this bout on just 5 days notice. This will also be his first fight in 2023 after a couple of his bookings were canceled at Fury FC 78.
Movsar Evloev remains undefeated with a 16-0 record and including 6 wins in UFC. However, his UFC career has had more canceled bouts than the ones take took place since his debut in April 2019. Also, this is the second time Evloev vs Mitchell bout is canceled.
They were earlier supposed to clash in November last year but Evloev withdrew due to an injury. Mitchell was then moved to UFC 282 where he suffered his first UFC loss to Ilja Topuria. Mitchell was earlier booked to face Jonathan Pearce at UFC 288, but Pearce also pulled out with an injury. Mitchell vs Evloev was then rebooked for the event.
UFC 288 earlier saw its co-main event changed after Charles Oliveira pulled out with some minor injuries. His bout against Beniel Dariush was moved to UFC 289 instead. Belal Muhammad vs Gilbert Burns was booked with a 3-week notice to both fighters.
UFC 288 takes place on May 6, 2023, from Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. Aljamain Sterling vs Henry Cejudo bout headlines the event in a bantamweight title bout.
