Crisis adverted. Shara Magomedov is staying on UFC on ABC 6.
The fan-favorite fighter lost his bout against Joilton Lutterbach at Saturday’s UFC debut event in Saudi Arabia, but has quickly found a replacement in Antonio Trocoli on just three days’ notice.
UFC CEO Dana White announced the news on his Instagram on Wednesday evening. Lutterbach later shared he was pulled from the fight by the anti-doping commission because of a substance found in his urine.
Magomedov (12-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) is unbeaten in his professional MMA career and is looking to follow up on a successful UFC debut. “Bullet” debuted for the promotion in October, defeating veteran Bruno Silva in a unanimous decision. The Dagestan fighter has gone through three different matchups for UFC on ABC 6.
His opponent, Trocoli (12-3, 0-0 UFC), will finally make his UFC debut after a tumultuous history with the company. He earned a UFC contract through Contender Series in 2019, but was cut after a failed anti-doping test.
Trocoli then returned to the regional circuit, where he won a fight and was re-signed to the promotion in 2022. Since, he’s had three canceled bouts and has yet to set foot in the octagon. He was supposed to fight Ikram Aliskerov last Saturday, but Aliskerov was pulled to fight Robert Whittaker in the main event of UFC on ABC 6.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 6.
