After all, Kuno Yuko will not return to the UFC in June.
The Japanese star and one-time UFC flyweight title challenger were scheduled to compete for the UFC Bakucard as their first promotion landed in Azerbaijan on June 21. Unfortunately, Horiguchi is no longer expected to compete on the card after being removed from the fight against Tagir Ulanbekov for private reasons.
At his place, the fight takes place in four weeks and Azat Maksum accepts a fight against Ulanbekov in a short period of time.
Several people with knowledge of promotional planning confirmed the news of the MMA fight on Monday following the initial report from Red Corner MMA.
It’s an unfortunate delay for Horiguchi, and perhaps a disappointing switch for Ulanbekov, as flyweight veterans trained under Khabib Nurmagomedov missed a key fight for the division.
Instead, Ulanbekov pulls out Maxam. Maxam will take part in the fight with a 1-1 record in the UFC, including a victory at Tysonham and a loss to Charles Johnson.
The fight serves as an opportunity for Ulanbekov to win four consecutive times overall after taking out Clayton Carpenter, Cody Darden and Nate Manes in consecutive battles.
The UFC Baku Card will be held on June 21, with former light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill facing Khalil Rountree Jr. in the main event.
Mike Heck contributed to this report