Arnold Allen Injured, Out of UFC 333 Bout vs. Aaron Pico

Arnold Allen has withdrawn from his UFC 333 featherweight showdown with Aaron Pico due to injury, pulling one of the best fights off the October 24 card in Abu Dhabi.

The No. 6-ranked Allen was rehabbing from past treatments and simply won't have enough time to get right before fight week in the U.A.E. The injury news set off immediate speculation about who steps in opposite Pico, with featherweight Losene Keita hinting on social media that he could be in the mix for a short-notice assignment. Allen shut that down fast, firing back at anyone trying to get ahead of his own announcement.

No replacement had been confirmed as of this writing, but chatter from fighters and camps suggests the UFC wants to keep Pico on the Abu Dhabi card with a new opponent rather than scrap the bout entirely.

What This Costs Allen and the Featherweight Picture

This was supposed to be Allen's third fight of 2026, a pace he hadn't managed since his Cage Warriors days back in 2014. He opened the year on the wrong end of a finish, getting dominated on the ground by Jean Silva, then rebounded four months later with a win over Melquizael Costa in a UFC Fight Night main event. A win over the No. 13-ranked Pico would have been his signature result of the year and a real case for a top-five push. Instead, that opportunity is on hold, and it's fair to wonder how much rust factors in whenever this fight eventually gets rebooked. Allen is 4-3 across his last seven appearances, with the other losses coming to Max Holloway and Movsar Evloev, so he's already fighting elite-level competition on a razor's edge. Losing a full training camp and a marquee slot doesn't help him close that gap.

What It Means for Pico and the Betting Market

Aaron Pico is 1-1 since joining the UFC roster in August 2025, with his only setback coming against contender Lerone Murphy. Whoever steps in against him inherits a live betting opportunity: Pico built his reputation on explosive wrestling and power, but a late-replacement opponent with a style mismatch can flip a line fast, especially with a compressed camp working against Pico's original short-notice foe. Until the UFC names a replacement, sportsbooks can't post a clean number, but expect Pico to open as a favorite regardless of who's across the cage given his finishing pedigree. Bettors should hold off on the featherweight market entirely until an opponent is official, since the whole picture, styles, layoffs, output, changes with the name.

Allen's own line for a rebooked fight, whenever it lands, will likely hinge on how the layoff and treatment recovery show up in his conditioning. That's a story for another day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Arnold Allen out of UFC 333?

Arnold Allen withdrew from his UFC 333 featherweight fight against Aaron Pico because he has not had enough time to recover from rehabbing past treatments before the October 24 event in Abu Dhabi.

Who will replace Arnold Allen against Aaron Pico at UFC 333?

No official replacement had been named as of this report, though featherweight Losene Keita had been mentioned amid speculation about a short-notice fight against Aaron Pico.

What is Aaron Pico's UFC record?

Aaron Pico is 1-1 in the UFC since signing in August 2025, with his lone loss coming against contender Lerone Murphy.