Dana White is no stranger to last-minute replacements, especially on a highly stacked card. The upcoming UFC 317 event, headlined by Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira’s stellar clash for the vacant lightweight belt, has also fallen victim to the same fate. Several crowd-pleasing fights and fan-favorite fighters have found their names on the cancellation list. Some bouts have been scrapped entirely, while others have fortunately secured last-minute replacements.
While the main and co-main events remain intact, a highly anticipated matchup between Paulo Costa and Roman Kopylov was scrapped. The Brazilian pulled out due to illness, and the entire fight has now been shifted to UFC 318. Other star names like Manel Kape also withdrew, this time due to a foot injury. Forcing the UFC to bring in Joshua Van as a late replacement against Brandon Royval. Meanwhile, heavyweight Justin Tafa ruled himself out for undisclosed reasons, adding to the lineup shake-up. But that’s not all.
To make matters worse, the opening card also took a major blow shortly after. Sedrique Dumas, eager for a quick turnaround after his loss to Michal Oleksiejczuk at UFC 314, was set to face undefeated UFC debutant Jackson McVey at UFC 317. But things quickly spiraled out of control for ‘The Reaper’ when he found himself in a whirlwind of legal trouble back in April. The charges were serious, ranging from felony battery to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, resisting arrest, and more.
Sedriques Dumas is out of his #UFC317 bout in Las Vegas this weekend.
Newcomer ‘El Tanke’ Christopher Ewert (7-0) is stepping in on four days’ notice to fight Jackon McVey (6-0) this weekend, multiple sources say. Story headed to @MMAjunkie. pic.twitter.com/ezoclrBhvL
— Nolan King (@mma_kings) June 24, 2025
With all that going on, Dumas ultimately withdrew from the bout, though it’s still unclear whether the decision was tied directly to his legal issues or something else. Either way, the UFC acted fast and replaced him with another undefeated prospect, 7-0 Chilean fighter Christopher Ewert. Now, the matchup stays interesting as it becomes a battle between two undefeated debutant UFC fighters.
However, the air around UFC 317 might get even more tense. A prominent lightweight contender, who’s expected to be around the Las Vegas premises during International Fight Week, has been openly anticipating a possible altercation with his longtime rival. So, let’s dive into what’s brewing on that front.
Paddy Pimblett threatens to knock out Ilia Topuria before UFC 317 headliner fight
The UFC 317 headliner is sure to grab the audience’s attention. But lightweight contenders, and especially Paddy Pimblett, will be keeping a close eye on the Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira clash. The Liverpudlian awaits a call-out from his eternal rival. However, the Englishman issued a stern warning that he might knock Topuria out before he even makes it to the cage.
Pimblett told Casino Org, “If I see him and it goes off, you never know, I might knock him out and he might not even be able to fight Oliveira. I’m not one of those who turn up to try and cause mayhem. If he wants to try and start something, though, I’ll finish it, just like I did last time.”
For the unversed, Topuria and Pimblett nearly sparked a full-blown brawl between their teams back in 2022 at UFC Fight Night London. Both sides threw whatever they could get their hands on—including water bottles and even a hand sanitizer bottle. The UFC is well aware that this rivalry has serious PPV potential.
Especially if Topuria manages to capture the 155 lbs title during International Fight Week. So, it wouldn’t be a surprise if we see another heated altercation between ‘The Baddy’ and ‘El Matador’ at UFC 317. So, whether Pimblett would actually sabotage the headliner or not, only time will tell.
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