A flyweight bout between Rei Tsuruya and Stewart Nicoll at UFC 312 has been canceled due to Nicoll’s injury, with former UFC fighter Zhalgas Zhumagulov offering to step in as a replacement.
UFC 312 just took a hit—an intriguing flyweight match is off the table.
Mike Heck from MMA Fighting broke the news. Sources confirmed that the 125-pound bout between Rei Tsuruya (10-0) and Stewart Nicoll (8-1) won’t happen. Why? Nicoll’s out with an injury, so they’re off the Feb. 8 pay-per-view in Sydney.
Eurosport had the scoop first.
Tsuruya chimed in on social media, confirming the cancellation.
Will Tsuruya still fight? That’s the million-dollar question. Matchmakers might be scrambling for a replacement. Meanwhile, former UFC fighter Zhalgas Zhumagulov is ready to step in.
Tsuruya’s been on fire since he went pro in 2021. He’s undefeated at 10-0! His latest win was a unanimous decision over Carlos Hernandez at UFC 303 in June. Before that, he snagged a UFC contract by TKO-ing Jiniushiyue in a Road to UFC finale.
As for UFC 312, it’s got some heavy hitters headlining. Middleweight champ Dricus du Plessis faces Sean Strickland in what’s sure to be a fiery grudge match. Plus, Zhang Weili defends her strawweight title against Tatiana Suarez, who’s yet to taste defeat.