Arnold Allen pulled from UFC 333 as Aaron Pico pivots to face Losene Keita

Arnold Allen will not fight at UFC 333 after being scratched from his scheduled featherweight matchup with Aaron Pico at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on October 24.

The withdrawal is not the result of a new injury. According to sources with knowledge of the promotion’s plans, the 32-year-old Englishman has been managing rehabilitation from previous treatments and simply ran out of time to be fully prepared. The situation was flagged as a potential issue when the bout was first agreed, and the hope is for Allen to return to competition before the end of 2025.

Allen’s last outing came in May at UFC Vegas 117, where he headlined the card and earned a decision victory over Melquizael Costa.

Pico will remain on the UFC 333 card, with the promotion moving quickly to find him a replacement opponent. He will now face Losene Keita, who arrives in Abu Dhabi on the back of a sharp run of form. Pico himself is building momentum after recording his first UFC win in April at UFC 327, a decision over Patricio Pitbull.

Keita brings a record of 17-2 into the contest and is coming off a first-round knockout of Muhammad Naimov at UFC Paris earlier this month — a finish that earned him a Performance of the Night bonus and his first UFC victory at the second attempt. The Guinean prospect will be looking to build on that breakthrough against a seasoned and dangerous opponent in Pico.