![Junior Tafa (center) steps in to replace injured brother Justin Tafa (left) at UFC 298 [Photo Courtesy @junior.tafa on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/02/2ace6-17081142220522-1920.jpg)
![Junior Tafa (center) steps in to replace injured brother Justin Tafa (left) at UFC 298 [Photo Courtesy @junior.tafa on Instagram]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMH/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAv/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAzWAX/8QAIRAAAQMDBAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgEEEgADBQYRIUETYZH/2gAIAQEAAT8AeamyDN41CzdGUd0KHUB+8c+loNdZhRSD54A9D5yXav/EABcRAAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAyL/2gAIAQIBAT8Amsn/xAAXEQEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAIR/9oACAEDAQE/ALOM/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The UFC proves once more to be the most unpredictable sport in the world with a UFC 298 short-notice replacement shocking fans on the event's weigh-in day.
In a wild turn of events, Justin Tafa withdrew from his preliminary bout against no. 15 ranked contender Marcos Rogerio de Lima only to be replaced by his brother, Junior, just hours later. The fight will proceed as scheduled with Lima and Junior Tafa squaring off in the second to last fight of the prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
Junior Tafa, who was in Anaheim to corner his brother, has been scheduled to compete the week after UFC 298 in Mexico City against Karl Williams. No news has been released on the status of that bout.
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Fans were left stunned by the historic news as it was reported that Junior Tafa has become the first fighter in UFC history to replace his brother on short notice in a scheduled fight.
One fan labeled the move as a 'thing you see in movies' and a 'savage move' from the Tafa family.
![Fan reaction to Junior Tafa stepping in on one day's notice at UFC 298 [Photo Courtesy @mmajunkie on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/02/6e717-17081148824483-1920.jpg)
Other fans reacted:
"They should have just switched in the octagon when the ref wasn't looking"
"That's the coolest s*** I've seen"
"When you fight one you fight us all"
"Fastest fill-in in UFC history?"
"Rogerio won't even notice"
View more fan reactions to Junior Tafa stepping into a UFC 298 matchup for his brother below:
![Fan reactions to Junior Tafa replacing his brother Justin Tafa at UFC 298 [via @mmajunkie on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/02/e00f6-17081150983861-1920.jpg)
Who is Junior Tafa?
Junior Tafa may have entered the UFC after his older brother but may have a better overall resume in combat sports as a veteran of GLORY Kickboxing.
Since transitioning to MMA in 2022, Tafa has gone 5-1 while introducing himself to UFC fans with a first-round knockout of Parker Porter.
Now, in one of the most shocking moves in UFC history, Tafa has a chance to improve to 2-1 in the UFC and enter the heavyweight rankings with a win over Marcos Rogerio de Lima on Feb. 17.
