UFC 327 Takes Massive Hit Just One Month Out From Miami Fight Card

Just over a month out from the event, UFC 327 has unfortunately lost one of its scheduled main card fights.

Set to take place at the Kaseya Center in Miami, FL on April 11, UFC 327 is topped by a title fight doubleheader. Joshua Van will try to defend his flyweight belt for the first time when he meets Tatsuro Taira in the co-main event before Jiří Procházka and Carlos Ulberg throw down for the now-vacant light heavyweight belt in the card’s final bout.

The card also includes a number of other high-profile matchups with serious implications for several UFC divisions, but unfortunately it looks like top-ranked lightweight Manuel Torres has been forced out of his main card bout with Beneil Dariush due to injury.

Beneil Dariush Reveals Manuel Torres Is Out Of UFC 327

Dariush was the one to break the news of Torres’ injury during a recent episode of the OverDogs Podcast, and the UFC veteran also revealed that the promotion is actively trying to find him a new opponent for UFC 327.

“[Torres] pulled out, he’s injured,” Dariush revealed. “So, I guess that fight’s not happening anymore. So I’m waiting actually for a new opponent…All the best to him, I hope he recovers quickly and gets back into the fight game. I'm just waiting on an opponent, and the only guy I saw that’s really available is Paddy [Pimblett].”

Paddy Pimblett (blue gloves) reacts in the fight against Justin Gaethje (red gloves) during UFC 324 at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The UFC 327 bout with Torres would have seen Dariush return for the first time since being knocked out just 16 seconds into a matchup with Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 322.

Beneil Dariush (red gloves) shakes hands with Renato Moicano (blue gloves) during UFC 317 at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The 36-year-old would also have been fighting a couple of spots down the rankings against “El Loco”, but a possible meeting with Paddy Pimblett would give Dariush the chance to break back into the division’s Top 10 following Pimblett’s failed interim title bid against Justin Gaethje at UFC 324.

"El Loco" Has Earned Bonuses For All Of His UFC Wins

A contract winner on the 2021 edition of Dana White’s Contender Series, Torres began his UFC career with three-straight first-round finishes before he was knocked out by Ignacio Bahamondes at UFC 306.

The 30-year-old got right back to his finishing ways last year when he stopped longtime UFC veteran Drew Dober with strikes less than two minutes into their bout at UFC Mexico. A follow-up knockout against Grant Dawson saw Torres break back into the lightweight rankings at #14, and it also preserved his streak of earning a “Performance of the Night” bonuses for every single one of his UFC victories.

Manuel Torres (blue gloves) reacts after the fight against Grant Dawson (red gloves) during UFC 323 at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Unless the UFC is able to find a suitable replacement opponent for Dariush on just a few weeks’ notice, UFC 327 is now set to go ahead with a total of 12 fights.

UFC 327 Fight Card

• Main Event: Jiří Procházka vs. Carlos Ulberg – For the Vacant UFC Light Heavyweight Championship

• Co-Main Event: Joshua Van vs. Tatsuro Taira – For the UFC Men’s Flyweight Championship

• Dominick Reyes vs. Johnny Walker

• Curtis Blaydes vs. Josh Hokit

• Tatiana Suarez vs. Lupita Godinez

• Azamat Murzakanov vs. Paulo Costa

• Cub Swanson vs. Nate Landwehr

• Kevin Holland vs. Randy Brown

• Patricio Pitbull vs. Aaron Pico

• Mateusz Gamrot vs. Esteban Ribovics

• Kelvin Gastelum vs. Vicente Luque

• Nazim Sadykhov vs. MarQuel Mederos