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Azamat Murzakanov has been battling pneumonia and has been pulled from a fight against Khalil Rountree at UFC Fight Night Austin, which was revealed yesterday by UFC President Dana White. Rountree will now compete a week later at UFC Fight Night 233, facing Anthony Smith in the co-main event.
Rountree (12-5-0-1NC) enters the contest riding a four fight winning streak, defeating Modestas Bukauskas, Karl Roberson, Dustin Jacoby and Chris Daukaus. Rountree hasn’t been defeated in nearly three years, with that last loss coming to Marcin Prachnio at UFC 257 in January of 2021. Rountree has earned 12 wins as a professional MMA fighter and eight of them have come by way of KO/TKO.
Smith (37-18-0) has won four of his last six under the UFC banner, having defeated Ryan Spann (twice), Jimmy Crute and Devin Clark. Smith has previously challenged for the UFC Light Heavyweight Title, losing to then champion Jon Jones at UFC 235. Smith has competed 55 times as a professional MMA fighter and just seven of those bouts went the distance.
UFC Fight Night 233 takes place on Saturday, December 9 from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada with Yadong Song and Chris Gutierrez headlining. PWInsiderXtra is providing live coverage of the event, which streams live on ESPN+.
