Well, folks, the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s first gig of 2024 is gonna look a bit different than we thought. Seems a few bouts on the card have been shuffled around.
Yana Santos, for instance, had to pull out of a bantamweight booking against Norma Dumont. Poor thing broke her nose. MMAjunkie.com confirmed this after Santos announced it on social media. We’re still in the dark about whether Dumont will face a replacement opponent.
But wait, there’s more. Matthew Semelsberger is stepping in for Bassil Hafez. He’s set to lock horns with Preston Parsons in a welterweight scrap. Parsons confirmed this switch on social media. Now, why Hafez backed out, that’s still a mystery.
Semelsberger’s been having a rough time lately, losing three of his last four Octagon appearances. His most recent outing at UFC 291 ended in a third-round TKO defeat against Uros Medic. Parsons, on the other hand, had a split-decision setback against Trevin Giles at UFC on ESPN 43 in his only fight of 2023.
And in another twist, Denys Bondar is out of a flyweight matchup with Felipe Bunes. Joshua Van is stepping in on short notice to face the Brazilian newcomer. MMAjunkie.com was the first to confirm this change.
Van’s been on a roll, winning nine of his 10 professional fights, including back-to-back triumphs over Zhalgas Zhumagulov and Kevin Borjas to kick off his UFC tenure. As for Bunes, he’s entering his first Octagon foray on the heels of two straight wins under the Legacy Fighting Alliance banner.
So, mark your calendars for UFC Fight Night 234. It’s going down on Jan. 13 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. And the main event? A light heavyweight rematch between Magomed Ankalaev and Johnny Walker.