One Fighter's Heart Is Broken, Another Says His Opponent 'Went Running': UFC 329 Is Already Chaos

Alright, fight fans, if you thought UFC 329 was gonna be smooth sailing into July, you need to wake up! This card is already a mess before we even hit Las Vegas on July 11th. The opening flyweight bout between Ode Osbourne and Cody Durden? GONE. Poof. And the heavyweight prospect, Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson, has just been SHIPPED off to the preliminary card. Seriously, what is even happening?! This is the kind of drama that makes you wonder if the whole thing is cursed, and we're still weeks out from fight night!

The Opening Bout Meltdown: Broken Hearts and "Running" Opponents

The first sign of trouble hit when Ode Osbourne announced he's out of his fight against Cody Durden. He hit up Instagram, pouring his heart out, saying, "Unfortunately, I won’t be able to complete on July 11th." He followed that up with, "This breaks my heart because it’s such a big stage, and my team and I have put in a lot of hard work over the past eight weeks. I’m going to rest and be back for the next one. Thanks, everyone, for rockin’ with me.” He didn't drop a reason for pulling out, which, let's be real, always makes you wonder. But Durden? Oh, Durden had *plenty* to say. He jumped on X, blasting Osbourne with, “My opponent Ode Osbourne has officially went running and pulled out of our fight for July 11th at UFC 329. Who wants to fight me in 19 days?” Yikes! "Went running"? That's a punch straight to the gut. Now we're all l

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eft hanging, wondering if matchmakers will even keep "Custom Made" Durden on the card. This is pure, unadulterated fight game drama, folks!

Gable Steveson's Unexpected Prelim Demotion

But wait, there's more! As if one canceled fight wasn't enough, the UFC 329 card got another shake-up that feels like a slap in the face for a guy with a golden pedigree. Heavyweight prospect and *Olympic gold medalist* Gable Steveson, the one-time NFL hopeful who apparently "washed out" of the WWE developmental program, has been moved to the preliminary card. Seriously? An Olympic gold medalist getting sent to the prelims? That's a tough look, especially for someone trying to make a name for himself in the Octagon after other ventures didn't pan out. He's now slated to face Elisha Ellison, a.k.a. the “Snack Panther.” No disrespect to the Panther, but you gotta admit, for a "prospect" with Steveson's background, this feels like a serious downgrade. It makes you question what's going on behind the scenes with a talent like that. So, with Conor McGregor and Max Holloway topping this card in their welterweight return, you'd think the focus would be on those two legends. Instead, we're watching the undercard fall apart and a highly touted prospect get shuffled around like a deck of cards. The fights are still happening on July 11th in Las Vegas, but man, it feels like we're heading into a chaotic unknown. Let's hope the rest of the card stays intact, because right now, UFC 329 is proving to be a wild ride before the first punch is even thrown.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.