UFC Fight Night 204 - Volkov vs. Aspinall --- UFC 273 - Volkanovski vs. The Korean Zombie
UFC on ESPN 33: Blaydes vs. Daukaus (also known as UFC Columbus) is an upcoming mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that will take place on March 26, 2022 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, United States.
Fight card
Main card (ESPN+)
Heavyweight Curtis Blaydes vs. Chris Daukaus
Women's Flyweight Joanne Wood vs. Alexa Grasso
Flyweight Askar Askarov vs. Kai Kara-France
Welterweight Matt Brown vs. Bryan Barberena
Heavyweight Ilir Latifi vs. Alexey Oleynik
Lightweight Marc Diakiese vs. Viacheslav Borschev
Preliminary card (ESPN+)
Welterweight Neil Magny vs. Max Griffin
Women's Bantamweight Sara McMann vs. Karol Rosa
Bantamweight Chris Gutiérrez vs. Danaa Batgerel
Middleweight Aliaskhab Khizriev vs. Denis Tiuliulin
Women's Flyweight Jennifer Maia vs. Manon Fiorot
Flyweight Matheus Nicolau vs. David Dvořák
Featherweight Luis Saldaña vs. Bruno Souza
Background
A light heavyweight bout between former KSW and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jan Błachowicz and Aleksandar Rakić was expected to serve as the event headliner. However in late January, Błachowicz withdrew due to an injury and the bout is now expected to be rescheduled for a future event. Instead, it was confirmed that a heavyweight bout between Curtis Blaydes and Chris Daukaus is now expected to headline the event.
A women's flyweight bout between Joanne Wood and Alexa Grasso was originally scheduled for UFC on ESPN: Vieira vs. Tate in November, 2021. But Grasso was forced to withdraw from the event due to injury, and was replaced by Taila Santos. The bout was rescheduled, and is now expected to co-headline this event.
A welterweight bout between Matt Brown and Bryan Barberena was expected to take place at UFC on ESPN: Font vs. Aldo in last December, but Brown was removed from the contest due to testing positive for COVID-19. They are now expected to meet at this event.
A bantamweight bout between Montel Jackson and Danaa Batgerel was scheduled for this event. However, Jackson had to pull out of the bout and was replaced by Chris Gutiérrez.
A women's strawweight bout between former Invicta FC Atomweight Champion Michelle Waterson and Amanda Ribas was expected to take place at this event. However, Waterson was forced to withdraw in early March due to an undisclosed injury and the bout was postponed to UFC 274. At first, they were expected to meet at UFC 257, but Waterson pulled out of that bout due to undisclosed reasons.
Lerone Murphy and Nate Landwehr were expected to meet in a featherweight bout. However, Murphy withdrew from the bout due to undisclosed reasons and was replaced by David Onama. In turn, Landwehr had to pull out of the bout and the bout was scrapped.
Undefeated middleweights Aliaskhab Khizriev and Abusupiyan Magomedov were expected to meet at the event. However, Magomedov pulled out due to unknown reasons and is expected to be replaced by Denis Tiuliulin.
A featherweight bout between Tucker Lutz and Seung Woo Choi was scheduled for the event. However, Choi was forced to withraw from the event due to undisclosed injury. A replacement is being sought by UFC officials.
Mar 25 - Updated fight card & background
