Alatengheili steps in on short notice to face Diaz at UFC 334 after Yanez injury

Alatengheili will replace an injured Adrian Yanez opposite Juan Diaz at UFC 334, multiple sources with knowledge of the promotion’s plans confirmed, keeping the bantamweight clash alive on the 14 November card at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Yanez was forced out of the bout, opening the door for the 34-year-old Mongolian veteran, who makes his 11th UFC appearance on short notice. Alatengheili arrives in decent form, having earned a split decision win over John Castaneda at UFC Vegas 121 in September, though his recent record has been inconsistent — he has alternated wins and losses across his last five fights.

For Diaz, the matchup represents a significant step up in competition. The prospect enters on a nine-fight win streak and has made a rapid impression since earning his UFC contract with a spinning back elbow knockout on the Contender Series in October 2025. He followed that up with a dominant stoppage of Malcolm Wellmaker at UFC Vegas 116 in May, a performance that earned him a Performance of the Night bonus and announced him as one of the division’s more exciting young fighters.

UFC 334 is headlined by a heavyweight championship bout between Ciryl Gane and Josh Hokit. In the co-main event, Kayla Harrison makes the first defence of her women’s bantamweight title against the returning Amanda Nunes.