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Marc RaimondiESPN
The UFC has lost a top fight from its card this weekend.
Ilir Latifi is out of his UFC Stockholm bout with a back injury, the promotion announced Thursday. Latifi was scheduled to fight Volkan Oezdemir in the light heavyweight co-main event on Saturday’s card from Sweden. The fight will not be replaced, and the event will move forward with 12 bouts.
Latifi (14-6, 1 NC) is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Corey Anderson at UFC 232 in December. The Sweden native is on a two-fight winning streak. Latifi, 35, is No. 9 in the UFC’s official light heavyweight contender rankings. Oezdemir (15-4) was heading into the bout seeking to halt a three-fight losing streak.
UFC Stockholm is headlined by a light heavyweight bout between Alexander Gustafsson and Anthony Smith and will air on ESPN+. Jimi Manuwa vs. Aleksandar Rakic will move into the co-main event slot, per UFC.com.