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Two fights cancelled ahead of UFC 313

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Chris De Santiago | Last updated Mar 8, 2025 4:29 PM ET

Apparently no fight is safe at UFC 313.

Just a few hours before the action kicks off in Las Vegas for the promotion's third pay-per-view event of the year, the UFC announced some last-minute changes for what was supposed to be a 12-fight card.

Who else can't wait for this card??

[ #UFC313 | 10pmET TONIGHT on @ESPNPlus PPV ] pic.twitter.com/8yUCmYgTkn
— UFC (@ufc) March 8, 2025

UFC 313 live results & highlights for Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev

UFC 313 Takes A Couple Of Hits

The first cancellation was a bantamweight bout between UFC veterans John Castañeda (21-7) and Chris Gutierrez (21-5-2), which the UFC announced on Saturday due to an illness for Castañeda.

This is Castañeda's second fight cancellation in a row, having another opponent Douglas Silva de Andrade withdraw from a previously-scheduled matchup the week before.

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Curtis Blaydes Won't Be Fighting Debutant After All

One of the more unexpected fights on UFC 313 between former UFC title challenger Curtis Blaydes (18-5) and the debuting Rizvan Kuniev (13-2-1, 1 NC) was also scratched from the card, with Blaydes falling ill on fight day.

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Kuniev would've been Blaydes' first fight back since losing to interim champion Tom Aspinall at UFC 304 last summer.

Main card predictions for UFC 313 - Can Magomed Ankalaev dethrone Alex Pereira?

The headliners still intact with Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev and Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev 2, the show goes on at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the pay-per-view portion bulletproof (so far).

There will be no replacements for the two cancelled fights.