Hopefully, the third name is the charm for Malcolm Wellmaker.
There has been a late change to the UFC 322 lineup as Wellmaker (10-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) now has a new opponent just hours before stepping on the scale to compete at Saturday’s event at Madison Square Garden in New York (pay-per-view, ESPNews/Disney+/FX, ESPN+). Ethyn Ewing will replace Cody Haddon, making the third opponent Wellmaker has been booked to face at the event. MMA Junkie confirmed the news following a first report from Eurosport NL.
Originally, Wellmaker was set to face Serhiy Sidey (12-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC), who was forced out due to injury. Haddon (8-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) stepped up as a replacement, but due to a fight week injury, was forced out of the bout just hours before weigh-ins. Ewing (8-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will fill in to make his UFC debut on incredibly short notice.
Wellmaker’s UFC debut in April was over in under two minutes, as he knocked out Cameron Saaiman with a right hook. A few months later, in June, he landed the same punch to put Kris Moutinho out midway through the opening round. Both finishes earned bonuses, making for an impressive first-year campaign.
Ewing, who just recorded a first-round knockout at last Friday’s Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat 32, will get right back to action under the UFC’s bright lights at one of the most famous arenas in the world. He comes in on an eight-fight winning streak, consisting of seven knockout stoppages.
Current UFC 322 lineup:
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Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev – for welterweight title
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Valentina Shevchenko vs. Zhang Weili – for women’s flyweight title
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Sean Brady vs. Michael Morales
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Leon Edwards vs. Carlos Prates
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Beneil Dariush vs. Benoit Saint Denis
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Bo Nickal vs. Rodolfo Vieira
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Roman Kopylov vs. Gregory Rodrigues
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Erin Blanchfield vs. Tracy Cortez
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Ethyn Ewing vs. Malcolm Wellmaker
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Kyle Daukaus vs. Gerald Meerschaert
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Angela Hill vs. Fatima Kline
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Chepe Mariscal vs. Pat Sabatini
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Eric McConico vs. Baisangur Susurkaev
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Viacheslav Borshchev vs. Matheus Camilo
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Late UFC 322 change: Malcolm Wellmaker gets new opponent
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