Rising Spanish prospect Joel Alvarez will step in on two weeks notice to fight Chidi Njokuani at UFC 330 after Njokuani’s original opponent Geoff Neal was forced to pull out with an undisclosed injury.
That’s the word from Spanish reporter Alvaro Colmenero, who confirmed the late replacement in an article for Spain’s ABC network.
Alvarez will look to bounce back from his first UFC loss since a 2022 defeat at the hands of Arman Tsarukyan. He’s 4-1 since then, having just gotten tapped by Yaroslav Amosov
at UFC 328 in May. “El Fenomeno” hasn’t been idle: he’s been a key part of Islam Makhachev’s camp as Team Khabib uses him to imitate the tall and lanky Ian Machado Garry.
Makhachev and Garry will face off in the main event of UFC 330 in Philadelphia. Now Alvarez will join Makhachev on the card against Njokuani.
Chidi Njokuani is looking to bounce back from a two fight losing streak with the most recent a decision loss to Carlos Leal at UFC Texas back in February. After Geoff Neal faced a murderer’s row of opponents (Uros Medic, Carlos Prates, Rafael dos Anjos, Ian Machado Garry, Shavkat Rakhmonov), it seemed like matchmakers were finally throwing him a bone against Njokuani, who runs hot and cold and is currently cold.
Now Alvarez will get to face Njokuani, saving the fight on the 12-bout card. Also set for the Philadelphia event: Mackenzie Dern vs. Gillian Robertson for the women’s strawweight title, Edson Barboza vs. Esteban Ribovics, and Vicente Luque vs. Tresan Gore. UFC 330 goes down on Saturday, August 15th.
