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Middleweight Yoshihiro Akiyama has dropped off next week's UFC 128 card because of the earthquake and tsunami that has ravaged his native Japan.

Akiyama had been slated to fight Nate (The Great) Marquardt at the March 19 card at Prudential Centre in Newark, N.J.

Dan Miller will step in for Akiyama against Marquardt on the main card.

"New Jersey native Dan Miller proves once again that he will fight anyone, anywhere, any time by agreeing to step up from the prelims to face Nate Marquardt," UFC president Dana White said in a statement. "Marquardt has long been a top-10 ranked middleweight and Miller jumped at the opportunity to face him."

Nick Catone, Miller's original opponent, will now meet Costantinos Philippou on the undercard at a catchweight of 195 pounds.

The main event of UFC 128 changed last month when Jon (Bones) Jones stepped in for injured teammate Rashad Evans to fight light-heavyweight champion Mauricio (Shogun) Rua.

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