Report: Jingliang Li Steps in to Face Santiago Ponzinibbio at UFC Fight Night on Jan. 16

Santiago Ponzinibbio has a new opponent for his Octagon return at UFC Fight Night 184.

According to a report from MMAFighting.com, Jingliang Li has agreed to replace Muslim Salikhov and face Ponzinibbio at the Jan. 16 event. Salikhov withdrew from the bout due to health issues that came from contracting COVID-19 this past September.

UFC Fight Night 184 takes place on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi and is headlined by a featherweight showdown between Max Holloway and Calvin Kattar. The card is currently expected to stream on ESPN+.

Li competed once in 2020, dropping a unanimous decision to Neil Magny at UFC 248 on March 7. Prior to that, “The Leech” had been victorious in seven of his previous eight Octagon appearances.

Ponzinibbio hasn’t competed in the Octagon since November 2018, when he knocked out Neil Magny in the fourth round of the UFC Fight Night 140 headliner. The 34-year-old Argentinian is currently on a seven-fight winning streak.