UFC Vegas 113 Sees Late Roster Change as Vazquez Steps In
Las Vegas, Nevada – – UFC Fight Night 266, also known as UFC Vegas 113, has undergone a late alteration to its preliminary card. Said Nurmagomedov has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled bantamweight bout against Javid Basharat, according to reports first surfacing on MMA Latinoamerica on Thursday.
Stepping in to replace Nurmagomedov on short notice is Gianni Vazquez, who has confirmed his addition to the UFC roster and his debut within the organization. Vazquez brings a professional record of 13 wins and 5 losses into his first Octagon appearance.
Nurmagomedov’s withdrawal marks the seventh time a scheduled fight has fallen through for the Russian fighter since joining the UFC in 2018. Despite appearing 11 times in the Octagon, including three bouts in 2022, Nurmagomedov has struggled with consistency, having lost his last two outings to Vinicius Oliveira and Bryce Mitchell. The reasons for his latest withdrawal remain undisclosed.
Vazquez’s Journey to the UFC
The 31-year-old Vazquez has built his career primarily on the Latin American MMA scene, beginning his professional journey in Mexico in May 2014. He competed once under the Combate Global banner in 2021 before joining Fury Fighting Championship, where he challenged for the promotion’s title. Most recently, Vazquez secured both wins and a title defense with Up Next Fighting in California, earning him the call-up to the UFC.
Basharat Looks to Break Losing Streak
For Javid Basharat, the fight represents a critical opportunity to regain momentum. The British fighter, originally from Afghanistan, has suffered two consecutive defeats, alongside a no-contest against Victor Henry in 2023. “The Snow Leopard” is currently winless in over three years, a stark contrast to his initial run in the UFC where he secured three decision victories over Trevin Jones, Tony Gravely and Matthew Mendonca.
UFC Fight Night 266 is set to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event is headlined by a bantamweight clash between Mario Bautista and Vinicius Oliveira. The co-main event will feature a flyweight contest between Amir Albazi and Kyoji Horiguchi. Also on the card are heavyweight bouts between Jailton Almeida and Rizvan Kuniev, and a middleweight pairing of Michal Oleksiejczuk versus Marc-Andre Barriault. The preliminary card will also include a 135-pound fight between Jean Matsumoto and Farid Basharat, and a light heavyweight contest between Dustin Jacoby and Julius Walker.
