UFC Fight Night 240: Why was Marvin Vettori vs. Brendan Allen canceled?
UFC middleweight contenders Marvin Vettori and Brendan Allen must wait to fight in the Octagon.
On April 6, Dana White and Co. will return to the APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, for UFC Vegas 90, also known as UFC Fight Night 240. In the main event, number five-ranked Vettori was scheduled to protect his middleweight spot against sixth-ranked Allen.
Unfortunately, rumors began spreading about Vettori pulling out due to an injury. 'The Italian Dream' later confirmed he withdrew from the main event, releasing a statement on Instagram:
"I wanted to tell you myself. I'm not going to fight on April 6th. I got hurt. It was kind of a freak accident, and I can't go into a fight hurt. It's the first time I'm pulling out of any bout."
Mavin Vettori last fought in June 2023, when he suffered a unanimous decision loss against fellow middleweight contender Jared Cannonier. The 30-year-old planned to bounce back by defeating Brendan Allen but must fully recover before returning to the Octagon.
Meanwhile, Allen continued to build momentum over the last few years, winning six consecutive fights, including five by submission. 'All In' now looks to take another step toward securing a title shot by emerging victorious next Saturday against a short-notice replacement opponent.
Watch Vettori's announcement video below:
Who is Brendan Allen fighting at UFC Fight Night 240 instead of Marvin Vettori?
In December 2021, Brendan Allen suffered his second and most recent defeat inside the Octagon when he fought Chris Curtis. Over two years later, Allen will have an opportunity to avenge the loss, as Curtis agreed to step in for Marvin Vettori to save the UFC Vegas 90 main event.
Curtis fought earlier this year on Jan. 20 at UFC 297: Strickland vs Du Plessis. 'The Action Man' was coming off a no-contest against Nassourdine Imavov and temporarily silenced the doubters by securing a split decision win against Marc-Andre Barriault.
The 36-year-old is currently the number 14-ranked UFC middleweight. Therefore, the short-notice fight against Allen is worth the risk, as Curtis could propel himself into the top 10 with a win on April 6.