The first pay-per-view event of the year, UFC 311, is in jeopardy.
Not only could CEO Dana White be forced to reschedule UFC 311 due to the wildfires in California, it has also been confirmed that UFC 311's main and co-main events will not have backup fighters. Fans may not see Islam Makhachev or Merab Dvalishvili defend their titles if a withdrawal occurs.
Regardless, UFC 311 was squeaky clean until recent news that one of the most compelling fights on the card has been canceled.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC
Johnny Walker withdraws from UFC 311 bout with Bogdan Guskov due to injury
No 10-ranked light heavyweight Johnny Walker has revealed he is withdrawing from UFC 311 with an injury. Walker was set to face No. 13 Bogdan Guskov. The announcement came in the form of a video posted to Walker's social channels.
โHey guys, bad news, I'm out next week due to a major injury at UFC 311,โ Walker announced. โ[โฆ] I wish Bogdan the best of luck, hopefully he can find an opponent.โ
Despite Walker's recent track record of two losses and a no-contest, his fight with Guskov was one of the most anticipated low-profile fights on the card. The two forwards combined for 35 finishes in 37 professional victories.
Small win for Bogdan Guskov at UFC 311
Russia's Guskov has been on a slow rise since his action-packed debut defeat to Volkan Oezdemir in 2023. 'Czarevitch' quickly bounced back with two knockouts and two performance bonuses in 2024. Guskov's knockout of Ryan Spann quickly earned him a spot in the rankings.
Ideally, he would be looking for a higher-ranked opponent instead of Walker, but the options are slim. Anthony Smith is dealing with emotional trauma, Azamat Murzakanov was recently suspended and many other fighters have been booked or injured.
With a week to go before UFC 311, we'll see if a new match can be made for Guskov.
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