Arnold Allen Out of UFC 333 Bout Against Aaron Pico

Aaron Pico now has a new opponent in Losen Keita for the upcoming Abu Dhabi event.

Arnold Allen will not be competing in Abu Dhabi. Multiple sources familiar with the UFC's plans have confirmed that Allen has withdrawn from his scheduled bout against Aaron Pico at UFC 333, set to take place on October 24th at Etihad Arena.

The reason for Allen's withdrawal is not a new injury, but rather rehabilitation from previous treatments, according to a source at mmafighting.com. Although the British fighter is on the right track, there wasn't enough time before the event for him to be fully prepared for the fight. This possibility was discussed during the initial talks for the match. Allen is expected to return to the octagon before the end of the year.

The 32-year-old fighter is coming off a decision victory over Melquizael Costa in the main event of UFC Vegas 117 in May.

As for Pico, he remains on the event card and will now face Losen Keita. Pico secured his first UFC win in his last fight, defeating Patricio Pitbull by decision at UFC 327 in April.

Keita (17-2) is coming off a first-round knockout against Mohamed Naimov at UFC Paris earlier this month, which earned him a 'Performance of the Night' bonus. This marked his first UFC victory in two attempts.