The UFC 296 card has encountered another setback as the scheduled welterweight bout between Randy Brown and Muslim Salikhov has been canceled. Brown confirmed on social media that he was deemed “unfit to compete” due to flu symptoms after being evaluated at the hospital. Brown expressed disappointment but assured fans that he would return early next year.
Randy Brown was coming off a victory over Wellington Turman in June, aiming to bounce back from a first-round stoppage loss to Jack Della Maddalena earlier in the year. Meanwhile, Muslim Salikhov was seeking a rebound after a loss to Nicolas Dalby in the summer. Salikhov, known as the “King of Kung Fu,” had a 1-2 record over the last two years following a five-fight unbeaten streak from 2018 to 2021.