UFC lightweight Joel Alvarez has found much success inside the promotion’s cage. It’s just been difficult for him to get in there.
For undisclosed reasons, Alvarez (20-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC) is out of his UFC on ESPN 55 bout opposite Mateusz Rebecki (19-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) that was expected to take place on the April 27 main card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Two people with knowledge of the situation recently informed MMA Junkie of the change but asked to remain anonymous because the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
Alvarez has withdrawn from three of his most recent four UFC bookings. Visa issues have been a problem for Alvarez throughout the years. Alvarez only has fought seven times in a little more than five years with the promotion.
Plans for Rebecki’s next bout currently are being configured, though it’s unclear if he’ll remain on the card. Rebecki rides a 13-fight winning streak and was touted by UFC CEO Dana White as one of the best fighters on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023.
With the change, the UFC on ESPN 55 lineup includes:
MAIN CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
- Alex Perez vs. Matheus Nicolau
- Bogdan Guskov vs. Ryan Spann
- Mateusz Rebecki vs. TBA
- Ariane Lipski vs. Karine Silva
- Jhonata Diniz vs. Austen Lane
- Tim Means vs. Uros Medic
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)
- Victor Henry vs. Rani Yahya
- Michal Figlak vs. Austin Hubbard
- Caio Machado vs. Don’Tale Mayes
- David Onama vs. Jonathan Pearce
- Marnic Mann vs. Ketlen Souza
- Gabe Green vs. James Llontop
- Liang Na vs. Ivana Petrovic
- Gabriel Benitez vs. Maheshate
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 55.
