Should anything happen to either Michael Chandler or Paddy Pimblett, one top lightweight says he’s first in line to fill in at UFC 314.
Chandler and Pimblett are on a collision course for Miami, with the pair set to headline next weekend’s pay-per-view event inside the Kaseya Center. They’re tasked with setting the stage for a featherweight championship clash between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes.
While the bout is highly anticipated given the potential connotations for the high-ranked veteran and the rising, charismatic prospect, fans know better than to assume both men will make it to the cage.
UFC 314 has already been hit by the withdrawal curse in 2025. After two fight-day cancellations at the last numbered event, an intriguing welterweight bout between Geoff Neal and Carlos Prates has already fallen through for April 12.
Should something happen that sees Chandler vs. Pimblett follow suit, the promotion seemingly has contingency plans in place.
Adrian Szymański recently shared a report from Polish outlet Super Express on X, which revealed comments from Mateusz Gamrot regarding a potential backup role for the UFC 314 co-main event.
“Mateusz Gamrot revealed that he received an assurance from the UFC that he would be the first replacement in case Michael Chandler or Paddy Pimblett were to drop out of the fight at UFC 314 in Miami,” the post reads, translated from Polish.
Gamrot recently attempted to secure a short-notice opportunity to impress following Dan Hooker’s withdrawal from UFC 313. The vacant spot opposite Justin Gaethje ultimately went the way of Rafael Fiziev instead.
“Gamer” hasn’t competed since his showdown with Hooker in Australia last August, which he narrowly lost via split decision.
