Losene Keita Answers the Call for Short-Notice UFC 333 Appearance
Losene Keita has answered the call and is ready to make the most of his short-notice appearance at UFC 333. The Belgian featherweight steps in on limited preparation to face Aaron Pico on the main card of the October 24 event at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Keita enters the bout with a 17-2 professional record and a 1-1 mark inside the UFC. He secured his first Octagon victory on September 5 at UFC Fight Night in Paris, stopping Muhammad Naimov with a first-round knockout at 2:54. That performance earned him a Performance of the Night bonus and drew attention for his celebration, when he climbed into the crowd, took a seat, and applauded himself.
The opportunity arrived after Arnold Allen withdrew from the scheduled matchup with Pico due to ongoing recovery from prior treatments. UFC moved quickly to keep the featherweight contest intact on the stacked Abu Dhabi card, and Keita accepted the short-notice assignment. Pico, a former Bellator standout with a 14-5 record and 1-1 UFC mark, holds a ranking around No. 11 or 12 in the division.
Keita’s path to the UFC included a dual-championship reign in Oktagon MMA, where he held titles at both featherweight and lightweight. His official UFC debut came in March against Nathaniel Wood in London, resulting in a split-decision loss. The Paris knockout restored momentum and positioned him for a step-up against ranked opposition.
Pico arrives with recent success of his own, having earned a unanimous decision over Patrício Pitbull at UFC 327 in April. He previously suffered a first-round knockout loss to Lerone Murphy in his UFC debut. The matchup pairs Keita’s proven finishing power—11 of his 17 wins have come by knockout or TKO—with Pico’s wrestling background and experience against high-level competition.
Keita signaled his readiness earlier when he posted a promotional video declaring he was “Born for this” after accepting the short-notice fight. The UFC later highlighted his willingness to step up, noting that he is prepared to capitalize on the chance at UFC 333. The bout sits on a card headlined by Alexander Volkanovski defending the featherweight title against Movsar Evloev, with Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili meeting in a bantamweight title trilogy.
A win for Keita would mark a significant ranking jump and further establish him as a rising threat at 145 pounds. Pico, meanwhile, can solidify his place in the top 15 and keep his own title aspirations on track. Both fighters have shown the ability to finish or outwork opponents, which sets up a high-stakes contest with clear stakes for the featherweight landscape.
UFC 333 streams live on Paramount+ with the main card beginning at 2 p.m. ET on October 24 from Etihad Arena. Keita’s short-notice appearance against Pico gives the Belgian a platform to build on his Paris momentum in front of an international audience in Abu Dhabi.
