The raging wildfires in Los Angeles have left many wondering if the UFC 311 event, slated for January 18, would still take place in the city. While concerns about safety and logistics persist, and amid reports that it could be shifted to Las Vegas, Daniel Cormier has said that the event is going ahead as scheduled.
“As of right now, the fights are still happening in Los Angeles. I’m excited to go to Los Angeles, but our prayers are with all the families that are going through the wildfires up there,” Cormier said on the Good Guy/Bad Guy Show.
The situation remains fluid though. The UFC officials are closely monitoring the developments and could make last-minute changes to ensure the safety of everyone involved.
Los Angeles is engulfed in one of the worst wildfires it has ever witnessed. It started in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood and spread with five different fires ravaging in different parts of LA. Over 150k people have been evacuated, and more than 10,000 structures, including homes and businesses, have been destroyed. The death toll stands at 11, and is expected to rise.
As things stand, the location of UFC 311 hangs in the balance, though Cormier is positive that it would be held at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Whether it’s LA or Vegas, the show will go on.
And the opening big event of the year will deliver an unforgettable night of fights. However, the fight card has been changed after Johnny Walker pulled out of his fight due to an injury.
UFC 311 Updated Fight Card After Walker Pull Out
In fact, there has been two changes in the UFC 311 fight card.
Walker has been removed from his light heavyweight bout with Bogdan Guskov. He has been replaced by UFC newcomer Billy Elekana, who is riding a three-fight win streak. The Brazilian gave an update about his “bad injury” in an Instagram post:
“I’m devastated, like a lot of hard work I put in, you know, few months, trained a lot….I know this is not good news but I have to make the right decision and accept this and recover, come back stronger.”
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Walker, understandably emotional, went on to talk about how he has no option but to make a comeback to set the right example for his son, Kyle. The light heavyweight fighter added that he enters the octagon for his son and family and wants to provide them the best life possible.
If the injury is serious, like he claimed it is, it is good that Walker took a step back instead of fighting through it. That could have lead to career-threatening problems.
The second update on the fight card is in the middleweight division. Sedriques Dumas has pulled out from his bout with Zachary Reese. Stepping in as a replacement is Azamat Bekoev, the current LFA middleweight champion. He would be making his UFC debut on the back of a six-fight win streak.
