Arnold Allen is out of his scheduled featherweight showdown with Aaron Pico at UFC 333 on October 24, 2026, at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Allen enters the planned matchup after getting back into the win column with a unanimous decision victory over Melquizael Costa in May. That win comes after a January decision loss to Jean Silva, giving Allen a chance to build momentum before his withdrawal from UFC 333.
Allen’s withdrawal is not the result of a new injury. According to a source who spoke to MMA Fighting, the British fighter has been recovering from previous treatments and, although his rehabilitation is progressing well, there is simply not enough time for him to be fully prepared for the event. This possibility was already known when the matchup was initially discussed. Allen is now expected to target a return before the end of the year.
Aaron Pico remains on the UFC 333 card, but his opponent changes. Losene Keita steps in to face the former Bellator standout in what becomes a major opportunity for the Belgian featherweight. Keita enters the matchup with momentum after scoring a first-round knockout over Muhammad Naimov at UFC Paris earlier this month, earning his first UFC victory and a Performance of the Night bonus.
Pico, meanwhile, is coming off a loss. As Lerone Murphy floors him with first-round KO at UFC 319 co-main event in August. UFC 333 remains headlined by Alexander Volkanovski vs. Movsar Evloev for the UFC featherweight championship, with Petr Yan vs. Merab Dvalishvili also scheduled on the card.
With Allen now out of the matchup, attention shifts to Keita as he prepares for a major test against Pico at UFC 333. Allen, meanwhile, will focus on completing his rehabilitation with hopes of returning to the Octagon before the end of the year.
