At UFC Vegas 124, a last-minute change was made after a fighter had to withdraw. Featherweight prospect Austin Bashi was originally set to battle Lucas Brennan on November 7, 2026, at Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, but Brennan pulled out due to a complete ACL tear.
Despite this setback, Bashi remains on the fight card and will now face Fury FC Featherweight champion Carlos Calderon, who accepted the bout on only four days’ notice. Heavy.com was the first outlet to break the news on this replacement.
Bashi, holding a 14-2 record, was once considered one of the top rising fighters in the U.S. after earning a UFC contract via Season 8 of Contender Series. However, his UFC journey has been uneven so far. The 25-year-old lost his debut to Christian Rodriguez but bounced back with a first-round submission win over John Yannis. Most recently, he suffered a close unanimous decision loss to Jose Delgado at UFC Oklahoma City in July, leaving his UFC record at 1-2.
This upcoming fight carries extra weight as it is the final bout on Bashi’s current UFC contract. A strong win could secure him a new deal, whereas another loss might jeopardize his future with the organization.
On the other hand, Calderon, with an 11-4 record, comes into the UFC as the reigning Fury FC Featherweight Champ. Known as “The Chief,” Calderon captured that title by submitting UFC veteran Damon Jackson with a fourth-round rear-naked choke and defended it successfully last month, besting Lorram Esteves by unanimous decision over five rounds. He is on a three-fight winning streak, having won five of his last six fights, and boasts a 73% finishing rate, with over half of his victories coming by submission. The 31-year-old’s momentum and experience make him a formidable opponent for Bashi.
Below is the finalized lineup for UFC Vegas 124:
- Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Johnny Walker
- Virna Jandiroba vs. Tatiana Suarez
- Davey Grant vs. Elijah Smith
- Seok Hyeon Ko vs. Wellington Turman
- Billy Elekana vs. Lucas Fernando
- Mantas Kondratavicius vs. Andre Petroski
- Gabriella Fernandes vs. Karine Silva
- Jonny Parsons vs. Jose Souza
- Jose Delano vs. Murtazali Magomedov
- Austin Bashi vs. Carlos Calderon
- Keiichiro Nakamura vs. Ollie Schmid
- Marcos Degli vs. Mitch Raposo
- Gabriel Lorenco vs. Thomas Petersen
- Priscila Cachoeira vs. Nina Milosevic
For more news and updates on UFC Vegas 124: “Cortes-Acosta vs. Walker,” check out our full event archive here.
Fan Take: This sudden replacement adds an exciting layer of unpredictability to UFC Vegas 124, testing the adaptability and resilience of both fighters. For fans, it highlights the depth of talent ready to step up on short notice, which only enriches the competitive spirit and intrigue of the sport.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
