UFC Fight Night 240: Why was Marvin Vettori vs. Brendan Allen canceled?

Despite being top contenders in the UFC middleweight division, both Marvin Vettori and Brendan Allen will have to postpone their fight in the Octagon.

On April 6, UFC President Dana White and his team will once again take center stage at the APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada for UFC Vegas 90, also known as UFC Fight Night 240. The main event will feature a clash between fifth-ranked Vettori and sixth-ranked Allen, as Vettori looks to defend his spot in the middleweight rankings.

Regrettably, there were rumors circulating about Vettori being forced to withdraw due to an injury. ‘The Italian Dream’ ultimately confirmed his withdrawal from the main event and issued a statement on Instagram:

“I wanted to tell you myself. I’m not going to fight on April 6th. I got hurt. It was kind of a freak accident, and I can’t go into a fight hurt. It’s the first time I’m pulling out of any bout.”

In June 2023, Mavin Vettori’s most recent fight resulted in a unanimous decision loss against middleweight contender Jared Cannonier. The 30-year-old had intended to make a comeback by defeating Brendan Allen, but he must first make a full recovery before stepping back into the Octagon.

In the meantime, Allen has been steadily gaining momentum in the past few years, with six consecutive victories under his belt, five of which were won by submission. ‘All In’ is now focused on solidifying his chances for a title shot by securing a win next Saturday against a replacement opponent who was brought in on short notice.

View Vettori’s announcement video below:

Who is Brendan Allen’s replacement opponent at UFC Fight Night 240?

In December 2021, Brendan Allen experienced his second loss inside the Octagon against Chris Curtis. Now, more than two years later, Allen has been given the chance to redeem himself as Curtis has agreed to replace Marvin Vettori as the main event for UFC Vegas 90.

‘The Action Man’, Curtis, competed on Jan. 20 at UFC 297: Strickland vs Du Plessis this year. After a no-contest bout against Nassourdine Imavov, Curtis was able to quiet the skeptics and claim a split decision victory over Marc-Andre Barriault.

At 36 years old, the current UFC middleweight is ranked number 14. This makes the short-notice fight against Allen a worthwhile risk, as a victory on April 6th could potentially boost Curtis into the top 10 rankings.