Zarrukh Adashev will still get to compete on “UFC Fight Island.”
With Jeff Molina forced to withdraw from the UFC Fight Night event on Jan. 20, Su Mudaerji (13-4 MMA, 2-1 UFC) will step in to face Adashev (3-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC).
Two people with knowledge of the booking informed MMA Junkie of the plans but requested anonymity as the UFC has yet to make a formal announcement. The @bigpunches Instagram channel was first to report the news.
Adashev, a former kickboxer, was signed to the UFC in June after notching three straight wins. His winning streak came to a halt in his promotional debut when he was knocked out by Tyson Nam at UFC on ESPN 10.
After dropping his UFC debut to Louis Smolka in November 2018, China’s Mudaerji has won two in a row. The 24-year-old is coming off a 44-second “Performance of the Night” knockout of Malcom Gordon at UFC on ESPN 18.
With the change, the lineup for UFC Fight Night on Jan. 20 includes:
- Michael Chiesa vs. Neil Magny
- Viviane Araujo vs. Roxanne Modafferi
- Tyson Nam vs. Matt Schnell
- Francisco Figueredo vs. Jerome Rivera
- Dean Barry vs. Mike Jackson
- Pedro Munhoz vs. Jimmie Rivera
- Zarrukh Adashev vs. Su Mudaerji
- Lerone Murphy vs. Douglas Silva de Andrade
- Vinicius Moreira vs. Ike Villanueva
- Manon Fiorot vs. Victoria Leonardo