There’s been a late change-up at UFC 330, with Geoff Neal out of another fight.
Neal, who was supposed to have faced Chidi Njokuani (25-12, 1NC) at the event later this month, will now be replaced by Joel Alvarez (23-4) in the welterweight fight.
News of the switch-up was first reported by journalist Alvero Colmenero. Promotion officials as well as Alvarez himself later confirmed the booking.
Looking to bounce back from a May loss to ex-Bellator champ Yaroslav Amosov, Joel Alvarez enters the fight with an 8-3 record under the UFC banner. Prior to the loss to Amosov, he’d won four straight, including victories over the likes of Drakkar Klose and Vicente Luque. A former lightweight who at times struggled with his weight cut, Alvarez made the move north to welterweight against Luque, and is 1-1 in the weight class.
Njokuani has lost two straight, and will be looking to bounce back from defeats at the hands of Jake Matthews and Carlos Leal.
UFC 330 takes place on September 15, 2026 at the Xfinity Arena in Philadelphia, PA, and is headlined by Islam Makhachev vs. Ian Machado Garry. The following fights are attached to the event:
- Islam Makhachev (c) vs. Ian Machado Garry – for the UFC welterweight championship
- Mackenzie Dern (c) vs. Gillian Robertson – for the UFC women’s strawweight championship
- Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Dustin Stoltzfus
- Edson Barboza vs. Esteban Ribovics
- Jalin Turner vs. Kauê Fernandes
- Donte Johnson vs. Eric McConico
- Vicente Luque vs. Tresean Gore
- Neil Magny vs. Ramiz Brahimaj
- Jeremiah Wells vs. Myktybek Orolbai
- Charles Johnson vs. Jose Ochoa
- Rafael Tobias vs. Lucas Fernando
- Chidi Njokuani vs. Joel Álvarez
