UFC 329 loses Ethyn Ewing vs. Farid Basharat prelim bout

UFC 329 has lost one of its most compelling preliminary card matchups. Bantamweight prospect Ethyn Ewing has withdrawn from his scheduled July 11 bout against undefeated Farid Basharat at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, according to MMA Mania.

The promotion is searching for a replacement opponent for Basharat, who was set to face Ewing in what many viewed as a potential fight-of-the-night candidate on the undercard. Twitter account BestFightPicks first broke the news of the cancellation.

Ewing's rising stock at 135 pounds

Ewing had built momentum with two straight upsets over previously unbeaten opponents. He stunned Malcolm Wellmaker via decision at UFC 322 in November, then stopped Rafael Estevam with a body shot at UFC Vegas 115 in April. The 10-2 prospect was positioned to hand Basharat his first career loss.

Basharat has quietly won six consecutive UFC fights despite lacking finishes. The 15-0 Afghan fighter is coming off a split decision over Jean Matsumoto and owns a win over former ranked contender Chris Gutierrez. His technical approach has kept him undefeated through 15 pro bouts.

The card is headlined by Conor McGregor's return against Max Holloway, with Paddy Pimblett facing Benoit Saint Denis in the co-main event. UFC 329 takes place July 11 at T-Mobile Arena.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — Bummer! UFC 329 just lost one of its best prelim fights, replacement search underway