Ewing injury blow hits UFC 329 card days before McGregor-Holloway rematch

Ethyn Ewing has been forced off the UFC 329 card with an undisclosed injury, dealing a blow to the July 11 event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas just days before fight week. Multiple people with knowledge of the promotion’s plans confirmed the news, with Best Fight Picks first reporting it on social media.

Ewing, a former A1 Combat champion, had been building serious momentum inside the octagon. The 2-0 bantamweight announced himself with a short-notice upset of Malcolm Wellmaker at UFC 322 last November, then followed it up with a liver kick knockout of Rafael Estevam at UFC Vegas 115 in April — a finish that had the division taking notice.

His scheduled opponent, Basharat, is now without a fight. The unbeaten 28-year-old carries a 15-0 professional record and a perfect 6-0 start to his UFC career. His most recent outing was a razor-close split decision victory over Jean Matsumoto at UFC Vegas 113 in February. UFC officials are actively working to find a replacement opponent for him ahead of the International Fight Week event.

The main event remains intact. UFC 329 is headlined by the long-awaited return of former two-division champion Conor McGregor, who faces featherweight and BMF champion Max Holloway in a rematch — a bout that has been years in the making since their first meeting at UFC 212 in 2017.