Khalil Rountree lost his opponent and will no longer be competing at UFC on ESPN 52. However, a former title challenger has stepped up as a replacement for a fight to take place a week later.
Rountree (12-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC) was scheduled to face Azamat Murzakanov at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas on Dec. 2. However, UFC CEO Dana White has announced the undefeated Murzakanov (13-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has pneumonia and will no longer be able to compete.
All is not lost for Rountree though, as former light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith has stepped up as a replacement. The new matchup announced by White in a video posted to Instagram will now take place a week later at UFC Fight Night 233 on Dec. 9 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Smith (37-18 MMA, 12-8 UFC) will compete for the third time in 2023. In his last outing, “Lionheart” picked up a split decision win in a rematch against Ryan Spann at UFC Fight Night 225. The result snapped a two-fight skid for the former title challenger, marking Smith’s first win since defeating Spann by submission in their first meeting.
Rountree gets to ensure a fight camp doesn’t go to waste by fighting a week later than originally planned. The fight will be Rountree’s second of 2023, following a knockout finish of Chris Daukaus at UFC on ESPN 51 in August.
With the change, the current lineup on Dec. 9 includes:
- Song Yadong vs. Chris Guiterrez
- Anthony Smith vs. Khalil Rountree
- Andre Muniz vs. Junyong Park
- Nasrat Haqparast vs. Jamie Mullarkey
- Carlos Hernandez vs. Tatsuro Taira
- Su Mudaerji vs. Allan Nascimento
- Sung Hyun Park vs. Shannon Ross
- Kevin Jousset vs. Song Kenan
- Stephanie Egger vs. Luana Santos
- Talita Alencar vs. Rayanne dos Santos
