Marvin Vettori out UFC Fight Night 280

Marvin Vettori has withdrawn from UFC Fight Night 280 after suffering a rib injury, according to a Yahoo Sports report published Thursday and a statement the fighter posted to Instagram. The Italian middleweight had been scheduled to face Ismail Naurdiev on June 27 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Yahoo’s report said the injury forced Vettori off the card, creating another change to the UFC’s late-June lineup. (sports.yahoo.com) The UFC has not, in the event listing currently posted on its schedule page, announced a replacement opponent for Naurdiev. (ufc.com) The event remains on the calendar for June 27 at National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, with Rafael Fiziev vs. Ignacio Torres listed as the headliner. ### Which fight was lost from the card? Marvin Vettori and Ismail Naurdiev were added to UFC Fight Night 280 earlier this month as a middleweight bout. Yahoo Sports, citing promotion officials in its May 12 booking report, said the matchup was set for June 27 in Baku Crystal Hall in Azerbaijan. (sports.yahoo.com) Ismail Naurdiev entered the booking with a 25-8 MMA record and a 4-3 mark in the UFC, while Vettori was listed at 19-10-1 overall and 9-8-1 in the promotion. Those records were included in Yahoo Sports’ injury report and the earlier booking item. (ufc.com) ### What did Vettori say about the injury? Yahoo Sports reported on May 21 that Vettori disclosed the setback on Instagram and said he had broken his ribs. A separate Yahoo item later the same day also said Vettori told followers he would no longer compete at UFC Baku, another name used for UFC Fight Night 280. (sports.yahoo.com) The injury came during what had been billed as Vettori’s return in another international UFC event. Neither Yahoo report said how long he is expected to be sidelined, and the UFC schedule page does not yet show a revised opponent for Naurdiev. (sports.yahoo.com) ### Why was this fight notable for Vettori? Vettori is a former UFC middleweight title challenger and one of the division’s more established names. Yahoo’s booking report framed the Naurdiev matchup as a chance for him to reverse recent results against a rising opponent. (sports.yahoo.com) The UFC athlete page for Vettori identifies him as competing in the middleweight division and lists him under the nickname “The Italian Dream.” The withdrawal interrupts what would have been his next appearance on the promotion’s 2026 schedule. (sports.yahoo.com) ### What happens to UFC Fight Night 280 now? UFC Fight Night 280 is still scheduled for June 27 in Baku, Azerbaijan. The UFC events page lists the show under the Fiziev-Torres main event and continues to advertise watch information and card details for the date. (sports.yahoo.com) No official replacement for Vettori has been posted by the UFC as of Friday. The next concrete update is likely to come either through a revised UFC event listing or a new announcement regarding Naurdiev’s opponent for the June 27 card in Baku. (ufc.com 1) (ufc.com 2)