UFC 273 Update: Visa Issues Scrap Gastelum vs. Imavov; Latifi vs. Oleynik Added to Card

UFC 273 has undergone a couple changes with less than two weeks remaining before the pay-per-view event.

A welterweight showdown between Kelvin Gastelum against Nassourdine Imavov has been canceled due to visa issues for Imavov. Gastelum will not be given a replacement opponent. It is unclear if the matchup will be rescheduled, but Gastelum posted on Twitter that “we’re trying to figure out other options.”

Unfortunately my opponent was unable to obtain a visa.
Hopefully that gets worked out ASAP.
We’re trying to figure out other options.
So stay tuned…..#UFC273

— #OnAmission4Gold (@KelvinGastelum) March 28, 2022

Meanwhile, a heavyweight tilt pitting Ilir Latifi against Alexey Oleynik has been added to the UFC 273 bill. Latifi vs. Oleynik was originally slated for UFC on ESPN 33 before Latifi pulled out hours before the card due to illness.

The Las Vegas-based promotion announced the updates on Monday. UFC 273 takes place at Vystar Veteran’s Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.., on April 9 and is headlined by a featherweight championship clash between Alexander Volkanovski and Chan Sung Jung. In the co-main event, Aljamain Sterling will square off against Petr Yan in a bantamweight title unification bout.

Gastelum has lost five of his last six Octagon appearances, including a unanimous decision defeat to Jared Cannonier in his last outing at UFC on ESPN 29. Imavov is 3-1 in the promotion and is coming off back-to-back triumphs over Ian Heinisch and Edmen Shahbazyan.

Latifi halted a three-bout skid in his last outing, as he garnered a split decision over Tanner Boser at UFC Fight Night 189. Oleynik, meanwhile, has lost three straight, including a decision defeat to Sergey Spivak in his most recent appearance at UFC on ESPN 25.