UFC 335 Loses Key Fight as New Main Event Takes Shape
UFC 335 already features a stacked lineup for December 12 in Las Vegas, but the event has now lost one of its anticipated middleweight matchups.
The card is headlined by Charles Oliveira vs. Diego Lopes, with Alex Pereira taking on Sergei Pavlovich in a heavyweight co-main event.
However, Bo Nickal’s scheduled fight against Joe Pyfer will no longer take place at UFC 335. Instead, the matchup is expected to headline a separate UFC event in February 2027.
Photo by Sean Jorgensen/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Bo Nickal Announces New UFC Main Event
During an appearance at Miami University in Ohio, Nickal revealed that his December fight had been moved.
“First off, I got a call backstage, and I do have some news, which is pretty exciting,” Nickal said.
“I had my boy right here mention my fight in December. It actually got moved to February, where I’m going to be main eventing in Cleveland.”
The announcement, shared by Championship Rounds on X, means Nickal and Pyfer could receive a bigger spotlight instead of competing for attention on an already stacked UFC 335 card.
Here’s what we know about the change:
- Original fight: Bo Nickal vs. Joe Pyfer at UFC 335.
- Original date: December 12, 2026.
- New timeframe: February 2027.
- New location: Cleveland, Ohio.
- New placement: Expected UFC main event.
The UFC has not officially confirmed the Cleveland event’s exact date or venue.
Bo Nickal Already Has His Eyes on UFC Gold
Nickal also made it clear that he has bigger ambitions beyond his upcoming fight with Pyfer.
“So I’m sure I’m going to see a bunch of you guys there supporting, and I appreciate you guys,” Nickal said.
“We’re going to go smash this dude and then go take the belt.”
While Nickal is confident about his championship aspirations, Pyfer presents another important challenge in the middleweight division.
The schedule change is significant because Nickal vs. Pyfer will no longer share the spotlight with some of the UFC’s biggest names. Instead, the two middleweights are expected to headline their own event, giving their matchup more attention.
Although UFC 335 loses an intriguing fight, the December card remains stacked with Oliveira vs. Lopes and Pereira vs. Pavlovich leading the lineup.
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This story was originally published by Athlon on Oct 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the MMA section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.