Brazilian heavyweight Jailton Almeida has a new opponent for UFC 302.
Originally booked opposite Alexander Volkov (20-3) for the June PPV event, Almeida will instead face Alexander Romanov (17-2).
Ag.Fight was first to report news of the match-up, which comes after something of a mess when it comes to Volkov and fight announcements. While the heavyweight was reported to take part in the UFC 302 booking with Almeida, he was also announced by the UFC as set for a fight with Sergei Pavlovich at UFC Saudi Arabia later this year.
Both men later expressed surprise at the booking, and suggested they didn’t want to fight one another. It remains to be seen if the UFC stays the course with Volkov vs. Pavlovich, but in the meantime, Almeida gets Romanov.
Almeida will look to bounce back from a March loss to Curtis Blaydes at UFC 299 in Miami, the Brazilian’s first setback under the UFC banner. Romanov, meanwhile, will enter the bout off a win over Blagoy Ivanov, who recently returned to the PFL.
UFC 302 takes place June 1, 2024 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The following match-ups have been reported for the first of two UFC PPV events in the month of June:
- Niko Price vs. Jeremiah Wells
- Roman Dolidze vs. Anthony Hernandez
- Mickey Gall vs. Bassil Hafez
- Philip Rowe vs. Jake Matthews
- Grant Dawson vs. Joe Solecki
- Joselyne Edwards vs. Ailín Pérez
- Park Hyun-sung vs. André Lima
- Su Mudaerji vs. Joshua Van
- Jailton Almeida vs. Alexander Romanov
