Matt Hamill (10-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) has replaced Vladimir Matyushenko (25-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) and now meets fellow light heavyweight Alexander Gustafsson (11-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) at UFC 133.
Officials today announced the change to the card.
A representative for Matyushenko told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) the fighter was forced off the card due to an injury but didn't disclose details.
UFC 133 takes place Aug. 6 at Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center. The night's main card airs on pay-per-view, though Hamill vs. Gustafsson is slated for a "UFC Prelims" special on Spike TV.
Just today UFC president Dana White mentioned Matyushenko as a possible replacement for injured UFC 133 headliner Phil Davis. However, Tito Ortiz ultimately took the spot.
Hamill fights for the first time since a lopsided (and late-notice) decision loss to Quinton Jackson in UFC 130's headliner. Prior to the defeat, the decorated amateur wrestler had earned five straight UFC victories, which included decision victories over Tito Ortiz and Keith Jardine and a head-kick knockout of Mark Munoz. The stretch also included a disqualification win (due to illegal elbow strikes) over now-champ Jon Jones in 2009.
While seven of Gustafsson's first nine career victories came via knockout, the 24-year-old Swedish prospect recently has posted back-to-back submission victories (over Cyrille Diabate and James Te Huna). His lone career loss came to unbeaten contender Phil Davis at UFC 112, which followed a KO win over Jared Hamann in his late-2009 octagon debut. The UFC 133 fight marks Gustafsson's first-ever bout in the U.S.
Source: Matt Hamill replaces Vladimir Matyushenko, meets Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 133