Chris Barnett Steps in to Face Kennedy Nzechukwu at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi

Chris Barnett will step in to replace Justin Tafa and face Kennedy Nzechukwu at UFC 308.

The announcement of this new heavyweight matchup was made during the UFC Vegas 98 broadcast on Saturday night. No reason was given for Tafa’s withdrawal. Barnett was originally scheduled to fight at UFC Vegas 98 but had to pull out due to Hurricane Milton.

UFC 308 is set to take place on Oct. 26 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, with the main event featuring a featherweight title fight between Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway.

At 38 years old, Barnett will be making his first appearance in the Octagon since September 2022, after dealing with multiple fight cancellations over the past two years. In his last fight, he scored a second-round TKO victory against Jake Collier at UFC 279. Barnett holds a 2-2 record in the UFC overall.

After competing 11 times in the light heavyweight division in the UFC, Nzechukwu will be moving up to the heavyweight division for the first time. The Fortis MMA fighter is coming off two consecutive losses to Ovince St. Preux and Dustin Jacoby.