Tristan Connelly Withdraws From UFC 267 Scrap With Makwan Amirkhani
Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app.
This week has not been great for upcoming Ultimate Fighting Championship matchups and the fighters involved.
Advertisement
“Yes [Connelly] is out,” Amirkhani wrote, courtesy of a transcription by MMA Junkie. “It’s a sad story cause it would have been a great matchup between me and Tristan. He said in an interview that he is not expecting that same Makwan what we have been seeing in my last fights. 'We will see a hungry Amirkhani.' Tristan you where [sic] right on that one brother and now I’m even more hungrier. I’m the flow. 30.10.2021.”
Connelly aimed to rebound from a defeat to Pat Sabatini in April, which came at 145 pounds. “Boondock” dropped down from welterweight two divisions to his more natural category of featherweight, which followed his successful organizational debut in a massive upset against Michel Pereira. The defeat to Sabatini put an end to a five-fight win streak that saw him capture the Rise FC title over D'Juan Owens in 2019.
Finland’s Amirkhani is looking to put an end to the first losing streak of his career. Amirkhani was stifled against Edson Barboza in late 2020 and dropped a decision, and a subsequent effort when facing Kamuela Kirk in June also saw him lose on the scorecards. As a pro, “Mr. Finland” has seen 69 percent of his victories come by submission, with more anaconda chokes than any other maneuver including two in the UFC over Danny Henry and Chris Fishgold.
UFC 267 rolls on at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Oct. 30. The top billing sees a light heavyweight championship bout when Jan Blachowicz defends his throne against Glover Teixeira. The co-headliner brings a bantamweight rematch for the belt as Aljamain Sterling faces Petr Yan. A high-stakes lightweight affair comes on the main card as well, when Islam Makhachev takes on Rafael dos Anjos.
« Previous DWCS Week 1 Signee Azamat Murzakanov Debuts in UFC on Nov. 20
Next Vitor Belfort’s Former Trainer Claims He Has Chances to Win in First 2 Rounds »
More