Almeida Replaces Susurkaev For Johnson Fight At UFC 334

UFC 334 has lost undefeated middleweight prospect Baisangur Susurkaev from its Nov. 14 card at Madison Square Garden, with veteran kickboxer Cesar Almeida stepping in as his replacement.

Almeida will now face Donte Johnson in a middleweight bout, per sources who confirmed the change to MMA Fighting's Damon Martin and Mike Heck. Ag. Fight was first to report the development. Bout agreements have not yet been officially signed.

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Johnson Loses Undefeated Opponent

The 25-year-old Susurkaev entered the matchup with a pristine 12-0 record and had finished each of his first three UFC appearances by knockout or submission after earning his contract through Dana White's Contender Series in 2025. The reason for his withdrawal remains unknown.

Johnson, who also came through DWCS in 2025, carries a 9-0 record into the bout and has stopped Eric McConico, Cody Brundage, and Sedriques Dumas in consecutive UFC victories. He now faces a different stylistic challenge in Almeida, an experienced striker who knocked out Abdul Razak Alhassan in his promotional debut but has dropped back-to-back fights, including a knockout loss to Damian Pinas at UFC 329.

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The card is headlined by a heavyweight clash between Ciryl Gane and Josh Hokit, with a women's bantamweight showdown between Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes serving as the co-main event.

Reported via:

• MMA Fighting — UFC 334 loses top middleweight prospect, Cesar Almeida steps in