UFC 330 suffers blow as fighter withdraws weeks out from Islam Makhachev vs Ian Machado Garry card

Geoff Neal has pulled out of UFC 330 just over two weeks before the Philadelphia show.

The perennial welterweight contender was scheduled to face fellow American Chidi Njokuani high up on the UFC 330 card but is now out, forcing Dana White‘s promotion to search for a late replacement.

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The reason for Neal’s removal from the card is currently unknown, per MMA Junkie, but he will likely reveal why in the coming days.

Having battled a who’s who of the elite welterweights, including a split decision loss to UFC 330 main eventer Ian Machado Garry, Neal has won just one of his last five bouts.

The 35-year-old was out to get back in the win column for the first time since knocking out Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 308 in October 2024.

However, he may be out of competition now for a matter of months if he’s injured, with Njokuani’s spot at UFC 330 now in limbo.

Who else is fighting at UFC 330?

UFC 330 takes place at Xfinity Mobile Arena on August 15.

Islam Makhachev puts his welterweight title on the line for the first time in the main event against Ireland’s Machado Garry.

Makhachev, who boasts a professional MMA record of 28-1, can surpass Anderson Silva’s longtime record of 16 UFC fights undefeated should he come out victorious.

Last time out, Makhachev equalled Silva’s feat to become a two-division champion by snatching the welterweight crown from Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322.

He is the UFC’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter and became a champion for the first time by submitting Charles Oliveira in 2022, defending the lightweight title four times before vacating it.

Machado Garry, meanwhile, defeated Belal Muhammad in November 2025 to cement his status as the welterweight division’s No. 1 contender.

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The 28-year-old has lost just once in the UFC — a unanimous decision to Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 at the back end of 2024.

A win over the dominant Makhachev would be instrumental for Machado Garry’s career.

If he wins, he will become just the second-ever Irishman to win a UFC title and the first since Conor McGregor defeated Chad Mendes in July 2015.

Elsewhere at UFC 330, Mackenzie Dern defends her women’s strawweight title for the first time against Gillian Robertson in the co-main event.

Jalin Turner and Edson Barboza are other notable names on the card, which, overall, lacks serious star power.

Aside from the top two fights on the bill, Neal was one of the bigger names, making it quite a significant blow for the UFC to have to replace the American on such short notice.

UFC Schedule

There are still several blockbuster shows and exciting contests for fight fans to look forward to in 2026, and you can find the full list of all confirmed events and official bouts as part of talkSPORT.com’s UFC schedule.

The UFC, on average, puts on 13 to 14 premium events in a calendar year, with up to 30 smaller ‘Fight Night’ cards allowing prospects and less experienced fighters to showcase their talents.

On January 1, 2026, Dana White’s promotion signed a seven-year broadcast deal with CBS and Paramount+ for exclusive rights in the US, meaning the UFC has put on shows like never before this year.

With the historic first event in the new Paramount era, UFC 324, delivering huge success, and a one-of-a-kind fight card at the White House in June opening up the UFC to a new audience, the promotion remains a premium global sports brand, and fans are eager to keep track of results and upcoming fights.