Magomed Ankalaev faces short-notice replacement Bogdan Guskov in the light heavyweight main event at UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, July 25, 2026. The 13-fight card at Etihad Arena features early starts broadcast on Paramount+.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to the Middle East for its 23rd visit to Abu Dhabi, bringing a packed card to the Etihad Arena. The event is anchored by a high-stakes 205-pound clash, though the main event underwent a significant late change just two weeks before fight night.
Magomed Ankalaev Meets Bogdan Guskov After Late Rountree Withdrawal
Former light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev enters the Octagon holding the No. 2 divisional ranking. He was originally scheduled to face former title challenger Khalil Rountree Jr., but Rountree was forced out of the bout due to injury two weeks before fight night. Kalshi is an event prediction market, not a sportsbook, where traders buy and sell contracts tied to specific events such as Bogdan Guskov defying the odds and getting the biggest win of his career over Magomed Ankalaev. The share price will always be between $0.00 and $1.00 based on the chance of that event in the live market. A trader placed a trade on Bogdan Guskov to come away with the major upset at UFC Fight Night on Saturday at a price of $0.20 per share. The Kalshi promo code ALCOM unlocks up to $500 in bonus funds when you trade $25 or more in cash on today’s UFC Fight Night card between Magomed Ankalaev and Bogdan Guskov on Saturday, July 25. Bonus site credit will be randomly assigned in one of five increments ($15, $35, $75, $100 or $500) after a user plays $25+ in cash within 30 days of signing up, with bonus trades required to be made 1x within seven days of issuance for users 18+ and located in the U.S.
Preliminary Card Results and Early Action at Etihad Arena
The Preliminary Card begins at 9 am ET / 6 am PT on Paramount+. The event takes place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, marking the promotion’s 23rd visit to Abu Dhabi.
| Weight Class | Winner | Method | Opponent | Round / Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavyweight | Valter Walker | submission (calf slicer) | Thomas Petersen | Round 1, 1:32 |
| Light Heavyweight | Muhammad Saidov | TKO (strikes) | Dustin Jacoby | Round 2, 4:49 |
| Welterweight | Sam Patterson | TKO (strikes) | Santiago Ponzinibbio | Round 2, 3:06 |
| Lightweight | Axel Sola | submission (D’Arce choke) | Ismael Bonfim | Round 1, 4:44 |
| Light Heavyweight | Magomed Tuchalov | unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) | Brendson Ribeiro | Full Distance |
| Lightweight | Nurullo Aliev | unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) | Mike Davis | Full Distance |
| Bantamweight | Abdul Hussein | submission (head-and-arm choke) | Cody Gibson | Round 3, 3:07 |
Valter Walker defeated Thomas Petersen via submission (calf slicer) at 1:32 of Round 1. Muhammad Saidov defeated Dustin Jacoby via TKO (strikes) at 4:49 of Round 2. Sam Patterson defeated Santiago Ponzinibbio via TKO (strikes) at 3:06 of Round 2. Axel Sola defeated Ismael Bonfim via submission (D’Arce choke) at 4:44 of Round 1. Magomed Tuchalov defeated Brendson Ribeiro via unanimous decision with scores of 29-28, 29-28, 29-28. Nurullo Aliev defeated Mike Davis via unanimous decision with scores of 30-27, 30-27, 30-27. Abdul Hussein defeated Cody Gibson via submission (head-and-arm choke) at 3:07 of Round 3.
Main Card Lineup and Welterweight Cancellation
The Main Card begins at 2 pm ET / 9 am PT on Paramount+ (with some listings noting 12 p.m. ET). The 13-fight UFC Abu Dhabi card is topped by Magomed Ankalaev vs. Bogdan Guskov. The co-main event features former flyweight title Steve Erceg taking on Ramazan Temirov, who has picked up two victories since joining the UFC to bring his overall win streak to 11 fights dating back to 2021.
The main card bout between Islam Dulatov and Wellington Turman has been cancelled due to a Dulatov illness. Wellington Turman was originally set to take on Islam Dulatov, who secured a Performance of the Night
bonus for knocking Adam Fugitt out in his promotional debut last year, with Dulatov holding a record of 12-1 MMA and 1-0 UFC, and Turman holding 18-8 MMA and 3-6 UFC. Junkie pick results for that matchup showed 11 editors, writers, radio hosts, and videographers picking Dulatov and 0 picking Turman, with odds as of July 24, 2026 at Dulatov -1000 and Turman +650.
Rizvan Kuniev meets Tyrell Fortune in a heavyweight contest after Fortune bested divisional staple Marcin Tybura in his first UFC outing in March. Tyrell Fortune holds a record of 18-3 MMA and 1-0 UFC, while Rizvan Kuniev stands at 14-3-1 MMA and 1-1 UFC, with odds as of July 24, 2026 set at Fortune +260 and Kuniev -330, and Junkie pick results showing 9 for Kuniev and 2 for Fortune.
The main card also includes a lightweight bout between promotional newcomers Damian Rzepecki, who is 10-0 MMA and 0-0 UFC, and Magomed Zaynukov, who is 8-0 MMA and 0-0 UFC. Odds as of July 24, 2026 list Rzepecki +240 and Zaynukov -300, with Junkie pick results showing 10 for Zaynukov and 1 for Rzepecki.
Saygid Izagakhmaev looks to secure his first win, facing Abubakar Vagaev in a welterweight contest. Izagakhmaev holds a record of 22-3 MMA and 0-1 UFC, while Vagaev enters at 24-4 MMA and 0-0 UFC. Odds as of July 24, 2026 are Vagaev -240 and Izagakhmaev +200, with Junkie pick results showing Vagaev with 9 picks and Izagakhmaev with 2 picks.
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