William Knight out of UFC 260 due to COVID-19 protocols; Alonzo Menifield meets Fabio Cherant

For the second time in as many bookings, William Knight vs. Alonzo Menifield has been canceled.

Due to COVID-19 protocols, Knight (9-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has been removed from UFC 260 and will be replaced by promotional newcomer and LFA light heavyweight champion Fabio Cherant, the promotion announced Wednesday.

Knight has been rebooked for UFC on ABC 2 card on April 10. He’ll fight Da Un Jung (13-2-1 MMA, 2-0-1 UFC) in place of Shamil Gamzatov, who has withdrawn from the event due to visa issues.

UFC 260 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

Knight vs. Menifield (9-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) originally was scheduled for UFC Fight Night 186 on Feb. 27. However, Menifield tested positive for COVID-19, and the fight was rebooked for UFC 260.

Massachusetts’ Cherant (7-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) enters his UFC debut on the heels of a Feb. 12 title-clinching victory at LFA 99. He extended his winning streak to three when he defeated Myron Dennis via unanimous decision to claim the vacant LFA light heavyweight championship.

With the change, the complete UFC 260 lineup includes:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

• Champ Stipe Miocic vs. Francis Ngannou – for heavyweight title
• Vicente Luque vs. Tyron Woodley
• Thomas Almeida vs. Sean O’Malley
• Miranda Maverick vs. Gillian Robertson
• Jamie Mullarkey vs. Khama Worthy

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET)

• Fabio Cherant vs. Alonzo Menifield
• Jared Gooden vs. Abubakar Nurmagomedov
• Modestas Bukauskas vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
• Omar Morales vs. Shane Young

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)

• Abu Azaitar vs. Marc-Andre Barriault