UFC 329 has been dealt a significant double blow to its undercard, as two fighters have withdrawn from the event just days before the highly anticipated July 11 pay-per-view at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The removals of flyweight veteran Ode Osbourne and rising bantamweight star Ethyn Ewing have forced the promotion to scramble for replacements during International Fight Week.
Flyweight Bout Replacement
The first cancellation occurred when Ode Osbourne confirmed his withdrawal on Jun. 24, mentioning that he had to pull out of a scheduled flyweight clash against Cody Durden due to an undisclosed injury (via Ode Osbourne on X):
Osbourne expressed his disappointment, stating, "Unfortunately, I won’t be able to complete July 11th. It sucks because my team and I have put in so much hard work for over eight weeks, but I’m going to rest up and come back for the next one."
The UFC matchmakers were able to fill the void, however, bringing in Alessandro Costa to face Durden. Costa, who holds a 16-5 record, will step in on short notice for the bout.
Bantamweight Prospect Clash Dropped
Compounding the issue, the promotion then lost a bantamweight bout between Ethyn Ewing and Farid Basharat. Ewing, a prospect with a 2-0 UFC record, was forced out due to an injury.
McGregor addressed the matchup, saying, "Max is a durable fighter with great skill. Not on my level, however. I am a level above."
As of now, UFC 329 currently sits at 12 scheduled bouts while the promotion works to finalize a replacement opponent for Basharat.
