Bloody Elbow reported that Said Nurmagomedov’s late withdrawal from UFC Vegas 113 opened the door for a promotional newcomer to debut on just two days’ notice. The report confirms Nurmagomedov was originally slated to face Javid Basharat before exiting the matchup for undisclosed reasons. In response, UFC officials signed replacement flyweight Gianni Vazquez to preserve Basharat’s spot on the card. The last-minute shake-up underscores the uncertainty around Nurmagomedov’s current status while highlighting the opportunity created for Vazquez in a high-pressure debut.
Said Nurmagomedov has withdrawn from his scheduled UFC Vegas 113 bout against Javid Basharat, with Bloody Elbow reporting that the Russian bantamweight exited the matchup for undisclosed reasons, prompting the UFC to sign flyweight Gianni Vazquez as a replacement on just two days' notice.
Nurmagomedov, 34, carries an 18-5 record and fights out of Fight Club Akhmat in Russia. The orthodox striker stands five-foot-eight with a 70-inch reach and has shown consistent output throughout his UFC run, landing 3.08 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy. He also adds a submission threat, averaging 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes. The reasons behind his late withdrawal have not been disclosed, and his status going forward remains unclear.
Basharat retains his place on the card and will now welcome Gianni Vazquez, who makes his promotional debut under the most demanding circumstances possible. No verified data for Vazquez or Basharat was available in the AgentMMA database at time of publication.
Why it matters
- Nurmagomedov's sudden exit raises questions about his availability and future bookings in the division.
- Vazquez steps into a UFC debut on two days' notice, a scenario that rarely favors the newcomer but can launch a career if he performs.
- Basharat now faces an unknown quantity rather than an established UFC veteran, which changes the stylistic challenge entirely.
