As UFC Fight Night 81 approaches, the promotion was forced to change a pair of match-ups for Sunday. Mairbek Taisumov and Abdul-Kerim Edilov were forced out of their bouts, and the UFC signed a couple fighters to replace them at the TD Garden in Boston.
Chris Wade (10-1), initially scheduled to face Taisumov in a lightweight clash, now takes on RFA 155-pound champion and TUF 22 alum Mehdi Baghdad (10-3). Wade is 3-0 in the UFC, while Baghdad makes his UFC debut riding a 7-fight finishing streak.
Francimar Barroso (17-4), originally booked against Edilov, will now face off against Elvis Mutapcic (15-3).