Josh Neer Replaces UFC-Bound Elvis Mutapcic in Victory FC 47 Main Event

Midwest promotion Victory Fighting Championship on Wednesday announced that the main event to VFC 47 has undergone a change.

Elvis Mutapcic was slated to face Anthony Smith for the VFC middleweight championship, but Mutapcic was called up to the UFC. With “The King” leaving to compete in the Octagon, filling in for Mutapcic will be UFC veteran Josh Neer.

Mutapcic versus Smith was scheduled to make history as the headliner for the first VFC event to be streamed live on UFC Fight Pass. Instead, Mutapcic will be compete for the UFC on Jan. 17 against Francimar Barroso.

Neer and Smith will meet for the 185-pound title in what is an intriguing rematch. Neer, who recently dropped two bouts under the Bellator banner, scored a sensational third-round submission of Smith two years ago at VFC 41.

Since Smith succumbed to that rear-naked choke, “Lionheart” has not tasted defeat. The Nebraskan has won six consecutive bouts, with his last triumph coming via first-round stoppage due to strikes against UFC and Titan FC veteran Brock Jardine last September.

Other fights on the bill feature Jarred Mercado taking on Alonzo Martinez in a featherweight bout and Jake Lindsey versus Dakota Cochrane, Cody Carrillo squaring off against Sean Wilson and Yuri Villefort facing Kenneth Glenn, all at lightweight. A bantamweight showdown between Demetrius Wilson and Raufeon Stots is also scheduled.

VFC 47 takes place Jan. 29 at Baxter Arena in Omaha, Neb., beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.