UFC 298 Main Card Fight Gets Dangerous Late-Notice Replacement
Roman Kopylov will step in to face Anthony Hernandez in the main-card opener for UFC 298 on February 17.
Hernandez was originally slated to fight surging newcomer Ikram Aliskerov, who withdrew due to an infection:
"Peace be upon you!" Aliskerov explained on Instagram on January 21. "I tried to heal my elbow for 4 weeks, the infection hasn't subsided. The team and I decided to withdraw from the fight. Inshallah I will try to come back soon! I’ll be back soon, God willing."
Kopylov caught the attention of fans with his crowd-pleasing kickboxing, knocking out his last three opponents in spectacular fashion. The Russian southpaw is vicious with his rear leg and likes to rip roundhouse kicks to the liver before targeting the head. Kopylov's last appearance was a complete demolition of Josh Fremd in September 2022, and before that, he knocked Claudio Ribeiro stiff with a highlight-reel head kick.
It's a tough outing for Hernandez, and Kopylov has more than enough time to prepare. Fortunately for the American, he'll be facing another striker in Aliskerov's absence --- though "Fluffy" is no slouch on the ground either. Hernandez wowed spectators with a submission victory over world-class submission artist Rodolfo Vieira in 2021 and has continued to win ever since.
It's not as high-profile a fight, but the replacement is welcome all the same.
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