UFC on ESPN 68 Sees Late Addition as Michael Aswell Steps in to Face Bolaji Oki
The UFC on ESPN 68 event, scheduled to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas this Saturday, has undergone a late change with MarQuel Mederos being forced to withdraw due to illness. According to a report by MMA Junkie, the promotion has announced that Fury FC standout Michael Aswell will face Bolaji Oki on short notice.
Aswell, who holds a record of 10-2 in the MMA, has been signed by the UFC on a short-notice basis. He previously appeared on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2024, where he put on a highly competitive performance against Bogdan Grad, ultimately losing by split decision. This bout was so impressive that it landed Aswell on the promotion’s short-notice call-up list. Aswell has won three of his most recent four fights and previously held the Fury FC featherweight title.
As reported by MMA Junkie, Oki, with a record of 9-2 in the MMA, aims to bounce back from a bizarre submission loss to Chris Duncan in September. The loss came after a successful promotional debut when he defeated Timmy Cuamba by split decision. Oki will look to get back on track against Aswell, who is making his UFC debut.
The addition of the Aswell vs. Oki bout brings an updated lineup for UFC on ESPN 68. As per MMA Junkie, the event’s main card will feature:
- Erin Blanchfield vs. Maycee Barber
- Mateusz Gamrot vs. Ludovit Klein
- Dustin Jacoby vs. Bruno Lopes
- Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Billy Ray Goff
- Dusko Todorovic vs. Zachary Reese
The preliminary card for the event, as reported by MMA Junkie, will include:
- Jafel Filho vs. Allan Nascimento
- Macy Chiasson vs. Ketlen Vieira
- Trevin Giles vs. Andreas Gustafsson
- Kurt Holobaugh vs. Jordan Leavitt
- Michael Aswell vs. Bolaji Oki
- Alice Ardelean vs. Rayanne Dos Santos
The event is set to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, with the preliminary card scheduled to start at 4 p.m. ET and the main card at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+. According to MMA Junkie, fans can expect an exciting lineup of fights, with both established and up-and-coming fighters vying for victory.
The UFC on ESPN 68 event promises to be an action-packed evening of MMA, with a range of talented fighters competing. MMA Junkie will provide comprehensive coverage of the event, including live updates and post-event analysis. As reported by the same source, the addition of Aswell vs. Oki to the lineup has added an extra layer of intrigue to the event, and fans will be eagerly anticipating the outcome of this and the other matchups.
