Rob Whittaker's Commonwealth Games loss is Nick Verreynne's gain, with the Canberra wrestler receiving an 11th-hour call-up to the Australian team.
Verreynne had initially missed selection, but Whittaker's withdrawal less than three weeks before the Gold Coast event has opened the door for the 25-year-old to make his Games debut.
UFC middleweight champion Whittaker quit the team late last week after confirmation he would make his first title defence against Cuban Yoel Romero in June in Chicago.
The "gutted" 27-year-old was told he stood to be stripped of his belt if he was injured competing in his secondary sport at the Games.
The late call left Wrestling Australia (WA) one athlete short after the entry submission cut-off date, and the organisation was anxiously awaiting approval from the Commonwealth Games Federation to draft in a replacement.
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WA received the letter of approval on Tuesday morning, meaning Verreynne would contest the 97kg category in which he placed second to Whittaker at November's selection event.
AUSTRALIAN WRESTLING TEAM:
Women:
* Rupinder Kaur (50kg)
* Carissa Holland (53kg)
* Naomi de Bruin (76kg)
Men:
* Tom Cicchini (50kg)
* Mehrdad Tarash (65kg)
* Connor Evans (74kg)
* Jayden Lawrence (86kg)
* Nick Verreynne (97kg)
