With just a week separating it from the much-anticipated rematch between Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira, all eyes are currently focused on the upcoming Fight Night scheduled for September 28. Set to take place in Perth, Australia, the event, also called UFC Fight Night 260, is headlined by the light heavyweight bout between ranked contenders Carlos Ulberg and Dominick Reyes.

However, the heavy-duty card seems to have come under scrutiny. The lineup of fighters may have left some fans unimpressed. Since the show is taking place Down Under, it features several Aussie fighters. Now the confusion deepened with the latest update, which confirmed a change in the original co-main event.

UFC Perth shake-up

According to an update shared by DudesMMA, instead of the light heavyweight duel between Junior Tafa and Ibo Aslan, fans will now see Jimmy Crute and Ivan Erslan stepping into the cage as the co-main event before Ulberg and Reyes. “The new co-main for UFC Perth is Jimmy Crute vs. Ivan Erslan. Junior Tafa vs. Ibo Aslan is off due to injury,” the message read.

The news was first shared through UFC’s official X account for Australia and New Zealand. However, some fans were skeptical. One user quipped, “Absolutely NO STACKED.” Another fan couldn’t hold themselves back either: “Don’t think you know what ‘stacked’ actually means.”

Precise details remain unavailable, but it appears Turkish fighter Ibo Aslan pulled out in his fight against Aussie MMA star Junior Tafa due to injury. A closer look might reveal where the concern stems from. Out of the dozen or so fights scheduled for UFC Perth, only three fighters currently feature on UFC’s official rankings.

They included the headlining light heavyweight Carlos Ulberg and Dominick Reyes.

Hopes on the Line

Though from Auckland, New Zealand, Ulberg steps in after his victory over Jan Blachowicz in late March. Just weeks later, in Miami, Florida, Reyes, a two-time light heavyweight challenger, knocked out Nikita Krylov at UFC 314. Beyond the excitement the headliner promises, the remaining ranked contenders are strawweight Loma Lookboonmee and bantamweight Luana Carolina. Including Ulberg, close to 11 fighters represent the ANZ region.

Needless to say, some diehard fans may find the September 28 card underwhelming. It mostly features local and unranked fighters. The confusion over the co-main change may have made it even less appealing.

Both Junior Tafa and Ibo Aslan entered the card with mixed results this year. For Aslan, it is especially pertinent. His previous fights at UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Song and UFC on ABC: Whittaker vs. de Ridder both ended in losses. Had he won in Perth, he might have climbed the rankings. So the injury may have dashed any chance.

For Auckland-born Junior Tafa, it may simply be bad luck. His last fight against Tuco Tokkos ended in a second-round loss via submission. A win over Aslan could have boosted his standings as well. Both, however, were knockout artists. Thus, losing them from the card is definitely a hit for the fans.

Though fans shouldn’t lose hope. They can look forward to the Ulberg-Reyes main event. But surprises may still await in the prelims and main card. Some fights could offer the edge-of-the-seat excitement fans are seeking.

What’s your take on the UFC Perth card?