Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs. Philip Rowe Removed from UFC on ABC 3 Lineup

A proposed welterweight clash pitting Abubakar Nurmagomedov against Philip Rowe will not happen this Saturday on UFC on ABC 3 as originally planned.

The Las Vegas-based promotion announced that troubles for both fighters resulted in the cancellation of the bout. Visa issues forced Nurmagomedov out of the fight, while an injury led to Rowe’s withdrawal.

As a result, UFC on ABC 3 will proceed with 12 fights. The event takes place at the UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y., and is headlined by a featherweight duel between Brian Ortega and Yair Rodriguez. The main card airs on ABC and ESPN+ at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT, while prelims are broadcast on ESPN and ESPN+ at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT.

The 32-year-old Nurmagomedov is 1-1 in UFC competition. He debuted in the Octagon with a first-round submission loss to David Zawada at UFC Fight Night 163 in November 2019 before outpointing Jared Gooden at UFC 260 in March 2021. The Dagestani has compiled a 16-3-1 career record that includes stints in Professional Fighters League and World Series of Fighting.

After dropping a unanimous verdict to Gabriel Green in his promotional debut, Rowe has rebounded to post back-to-back technical knockout triumphs against Orion Cosce and Jason Witt in his last two UFC appearances. The former Dana White’s Contender Series competitor is 9-3 as a pro, with all his victories coming inside the distance.