(Long Island, NY., December 3, 2016) – Gian Villante has found a new opponent for UFC Fight Night 102.

News emerged yesterday that Villante’s opponent, Patrick Cummins, withdrew from their scheduled bout on the card in Albany, New York on Friday, December 9. 

Villante’s new opponent will be Saparbek Safarov, who is a perfect 8-0 in his MMA career, with his last fight coming in April on the WFCA 17 card.

The Long Beach resident, Villante, who is 14-7 in his MAA career, was scheduled to take on Brazil’s Marcos Rogerio de Lima at Madison Square Garden on UFC 205, but a minor knee injury forced him to pull out.

After cleared by doctors, Villante was scheduled to fight Cummins (8-4), who was coming off a loss at UFC 198.

Villante last fought on March 5, 2016 losing to IIir Latifi via unanimous decision at UFC 196.

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Photo credit: MMAweekly.com

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