This weekend’s UFC Vegas 39 card has undergone a last minute change-up.
With Deron Winn dropping out of the event due to undisclosed medical reasons, PFL veteran Chris Curtis has stepped in to take his place. Curtis will now face Winn’s opponent, Phil Hawes, on barely 48 hours notice.
MMA DNA was first to report the news.
The middleweight fight is set to take place on Saturday’s main card, which kicks off at 4PM ET — and with the early start, that’s even less notice for Curtis.
Known as “The Action Man,” Curtis (26-8) had been preparing for a fight with Evan Cutts at Fury FC 53 next month. He competed in the PFL in 2019, going 1-3 with the promotion, then returning to the regional scene. He currently sits on a five-fight win streak.
Hawes (11-2), who briefly fought for Bellator after a snub on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2017, made it back to the show last year. Winning a UFC contract on his second go-round on DWCS, Hawes has now won three straight inside the octagon.
UFC Vegas 39 (UFC Fight Night 194) goes down Saturday, October 9 at the Apex in Las Vegas. A strawweight bout between ranked contenders Mackenzie Dern and Marina Rodriguez headlines.
Saturday’s card currently breaks down as follows:
Mackenzie Dern vs. Marina Rodriguez
Randy Brown vs. Jared Gooden
Tim Elliott vs. Matheus Nicolau
Sabina Mazo vs. Mariya Agapova
Phil Hawes vs. Chris Curtis
Chris Gutiérrez vs. Felipe Colares
Alexander Romanov vs. Jared Vanderaa
Charles Rosa vs. Damon Jackson
Lupita Godinez vs. Silvana Gomez Juarez
Steve Garcia vs. Charlie Ontiveros
