Damir Ismagulov vs. Magomed Mustafaev off UFC 267 after Ismagulov misses weight by 7.5 pounds

Damir Ismagulov badly missed weight, leaving opponent Magomed Mustafaev without a fight.

The lightweights were scheduled to compete on the preliminary portion of UFC 267 this Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, but Ismagulov came in at 163.5 pounds, missing weight by 7.5 pounds (including the one-pound allowance for non-title fights) at Friday’s official weigh-ins. The bout was subsequently cancelled by the UFC.

It is not yet known whether Mustafaev will receive compensation for successfully hitting the lightweight mark at 156 pounds, or if the UFC is planning to re-book him for another fight soon. This was to be Mustafaev’s first fight since Feb. 23, 2020.

Ismagulov was the first fighter to weigh in Friday and looked to be in poor condition as he stepped to the scale. The former M-1 lightweight champion entered fight week with a 23-1 record, including wins in his first four UFC appearances.

UFC 267 will proceed with 14 scheduled bouts.

Mike Heck contributed to this report.