Renato Moicano will now fight champion Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title Saturday in the main event of UFC 311 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., after Arman Tsarukyan suffered a back injury and withdrew from the fight, UFC CEO Dana White announced on social media.

White said that Tsarukyan called at 1 a.m. and said he didn't feel he'd be able to compete. Moicano, who was going to fight Beneil Dariush on the main card, stepped in and took the fight. He made the 155-pound championship weight limit.

Moicano has won four in a row and six of his last seven. He is coming off of a second-round TKO of Benoit Saint Denis. His only loss in the last seven was a decision to Rafael dos Anjos in a 160-pound catchweight bout at UFC 272 in Las Vegas on March 5, 2022.

White did not say whether Dariush would remain on the card or what fight would replace Moicano-Dariush on the main card. 

Tsarukyan earned the title shot at UFC 300 on April 13 in Las Vegas when he scored a split decision victory over former champion Charles Oliveira. He was eager to reverse the outcome of a 2019 bout against Makhachev in Saint Petersburg, Russia, which Makhachev won by split decision.

Makhachev told White he had no problem facing Moicano and that as champion, he should be prepared to fight anyone. Makhachev then took to social media to reiterate that point.

Tsarukyan apologized on social media for having to withdraw.

"I regret to inform everyone that the news is that I had to pull out of UFC 311 with a back injury is true," he wrote on Instagram. "This was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make in my fighting career. I would like to thank the UFC for understanding and I look forward to competing for my first UFC Championship in the future. Thank you all for your support."

I'd originally recorded my UFC 311 prediction video on Friday morning before news broke that Tsaurkyan was out. I re-recorded it and the below video represents my updated picks on the card.