UFC 311 has experienced a lineup change with Azamat Bekeov replacing Sedriques Dumas to face Zachary Reese in a preliminary fight, while the event is headlined by Islam Makhachev defending his lightweight title against Arman Tsarukyan and Merab Dvalishvili facing Umar Nurmagomedov in the co-main event.
UFC 311’s lineup has shifted again, just five days before showtime. This time, it’s a preliminary bout that’s been altered.
Sedriques Dumas is out for reasons not yet disclosed. Stepping in is LFA middleweight champ Azamat Bekeov, now set to face Zachary Reese at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Plot twist!
Several insiders confirmed this update to MMA Fighting on Monday. Oh, and ZacLikesMMA broke the news first on Twitter. Gotta love those Twitter scoops!
Bekeov, boasting an impressive 18-3 record, joins the UFC with a hot streak—six wins in a row, mind you! The Russian fighter couldn’t contain his excitement when his manager, Brian Butler from Suckerpunch Entertainment, delivered the big news.
On the flip side, Reese is riding high after two consecutive victories. Remember when he obliterated Julian Marquez in just 20 seconds? Yeah, that happened. He also snagged a unanimous decision against Jose Medina last August.
Reese’s UFC record stands at 2-1. His sole defeat was due to a freak slam KO by Cody Brundage back in ’23. Ouch!
Catch UFC 311 this Saturday night in Los Angeles. Reese vs. Bekeov is part of the prelims, while the main card features lightweight champ Islam Makhachev defending against Arman Tsarukyan and Merab Dvalishvili battling undefeated bantamweight Umar Nurmagomedov. Talk about a stacked card!