UFC veteran John Makdessi will step in for the injured Claudio Puelles to face Northcutt on July 29, the UFC announced Tuesday afternoon. The Canadian Press’s Neil Davidson first reported the news.
In Makdessi, Northcutt draws a far more experienced fighter in Canada’s Makdessi, who has had 13 total fights in the UFC. During that stretch “The Bull” has gone 7-6, with victories over Sam Stout and Daron Cruickshank. Though Makdessi has struggled of late, having lost four of his last six, he scored a split-decision victory over Mehdi Baghdad last July.