TLDR
- Arnold Allen has been pulled from his scheduled UFC 333 fight against Aaron Pico on October 24 in Abu Dhabi
- Allen is recovering from past treatments and did not have enough time to prepare for the fight
- Losene Keita will replace Allen and face Aaron Pico on the main card
- Keita is coming off a first-round knockout win at UFC Paris that earned him a Performance of the Night bonus
- Allen hopes to return to competition before the end of 2026
Sources: mmamania.com | mmafighting.com | timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Arnold Allen will not compete at UFC 333 next month after being pulled from his scheduled fight against Aaron Pico. The featherweight bout was set to take place on October 24 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Losene Keita has been brought in as a replacement opponent for Pico. The change keeps Pico on the card and gives Keita a chance to fight in the Top 15 rankings on short notice.
Allen’s withdrawal is not due to a new injury. According to multiple sources, the 32-year-old British fighter has been recovering from previous treatments and did not have enough time between now and the event to be ready to compete.
Allen’s Recovery Path
The possibility of Allen pulling out was discussed when the matchup was first arranged. Sources indicated that while Allen is on the right track with his recovery, the timeline to October 24 was too short for him to prepare properly.
🚨 BREAKING: Aaron Pico vs. Losene Keita is now set for UFC 333 on October 24th after Arnold Allen pulled out.
🤯🇫🇷 Keita only just fought at UFC Paris.
(via @MMAFighting) pic.twitter.com/1lSrPzV7dL
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) September 18, 2026
Allen took to social media to address speculation about his health. “Those are not your beans to spill!!!” he wrote on X as people began discussing his condition.
The fight against Pico would have been Allen’s third bout of 2026. It would have been the first time since 2014 that he competed three times in one year.
Allen is coming off a decision victory over Melquizael Costa at UFC Vegas 117 in May. That win helped him bounce back after a tough start to the year when Jean Silva defeated him at UFC 324 in January.
The hope is for Allen to return to competition before the end of 2026.
Keita Steps Up on Short Notice
Keita enters the fight with a 17-2 record. He is coming off a first-round knockout victory over Muhammad Naimov at UFC Paris earlier this month.
The win was Keita’s first in the UFC after two attempts. He also earned a Performance of the Night bonus for the knockout finish.
The Belgian fighter will now have a quick turnaround to face Pico at UFC 333. The fight gives him an opportunity to make his mark against a ranked opponent.
Pico secured his first UFC victory in his most recent fight. He defeated Patricio Pitbull by decision at UFC 327 in April.
The American fighter now holds a 1-1 record in the UFC. His only loss came against contender Lerone Murphy after he joined the promotion in August 2025.
Allen currently holds the No. 6 ranking in the featherweight division. Pico sits at No. 13 in the rankings.
UFC 333 will be headlined by Alexander Volkanovski defending his featherweight championship against undefeated contender Movsar Evloev. The event takes place on October 24, 2026, at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
