Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is live THIS MORNING (Sat., July 25, 2026) with UFC Abu Dhabi, streaming live online via Paramount+. The event happens inside Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The re-worked main event is Magomed Ankalaev vs. Bogdan Guskov.

UFC Abu Dhabi Preview

“Big” Ank was supposed to be fighting Khalil Rountree Jr. in this spot, but “War Horse” pulled out a few weeks ago (full details here). Guskov comes in for the biggest opportunity of his career. He was getting ready to rematch Jan Blachowicz at next week’s card, but will instead get his first main event here. If he wins, he’ll be catapulted up the rankings. Ankalaev is currently sitting second, behind Alex Pereira and division champion, Carlos Ulberg.

The co-main event is Steve Erceg vs. Ramazan Temirov. Erceg is a former Flyweight title challenger and he’s on a mini win streak right now. Temirov, meanwhile, has only competed twice in UFC and has been out for about a year.

Yet this is a pick ‘em!

Rounding out UFC Abu Dhabi’s main card is Magomed “Don’t Call Me John Pork” Zaynukov vs. Damian Rzepecki, Rizvan Kuniev vs. Tyrell Fortune and Abubaker Vagaev vs. Sayid Izagakhmaev (that’s Chechnya vs. Dagestan, by the way).

UFC Abu Dhabi’s “Prelims” are headlined by Valter Walker vs. Thomas Petersen. Walker will look for his record fifth heel hook submission in a row, I’m sure. The “Prelims” also have Ismael Bonfim vs. Axel Sola and Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Sam Patterson.

UFC Abu Dhabi Start Date and Time

We’re operating at primetime over in Abu Dhabi. That means we have a special start time this weekend. Checkout the Paramount+ timings inside the Etihad Arenal below:

• UFC Abu Dhabi “Prelims” will begin at 9 a.m. ET.

• UFC Abu Dhabi main card is scheduled to start at 12 p.m. ET.

• All of UFC Abu Dhabi airs on Paramount+, which you can stream here.

The live blog here starts rolling below at 9 a.m. ET. Come in and say hi!

UFC ABU DHABI QUICK RESULTS

UFC ABU DHABI PLAY-BY-PLAY UPDATES

Magomed Ankalaev vs. Bogdan Guskov

Round 1: Ankalaev takes the center and they dance back and forth pawing at each other, but through three minutes neither commits on anything big. Guskov has landed a number of leg kicks, but they haven’t slowed Ankalaev down at all. That’s a close round to score, without much activity, but Ankalaev was the most aggressive (by a hair).

Round 2: Guskov throws more leg kicks. Ankalaev leans in and lands a nice one-two. Still not a ton of action in this fight. Guskov wings a punch to the body, but it’s blocked. Ankalaev whifs on a head kick. Guskov lands a good straight right. That prompts Ankalaev to jab and then go for a takedown. Guskov blocks it, but is now pressed against the fence. Ankalaev lands some knees to the thigh. There’s just not much of anything happening. Both are landined at about the same kind of clip, but Ankalaev just looks marginally more aggressive.

Round 3: More of the same through two minutes. Ankalaev misses, big, on a spinning back fist. Plenty of boos in the crowd now. Ankalaev lands a nice shot on Guskov who is constantly backing up. Guskov has the opportunity of his life and, so far, he’s chosen to hang back and wait for something to happen. Ankalaev lands a straight left. This is like a sparring match right now.

Round 4: Anakalev gets the takedown to start the round. He lands in Guskov’s half guard. Ankalaev lands some ground and pound, Guskov is as ineffective on the ground as he has been on the feet. Ankalaev gets his back and tries to get a rear naked choke. He doesn’t have it. He goes for a face crank, but can’t get that either. Ankalaev just hangs out on the back, lading some shots and trying to tease out a rear naked choke.

Round 5: Ankalaev goes for the takedown again. Guskov jumps the guillotine, but can’t get it. Now we’re back where we were in the fourth round. Guskov turns to avoid the ground and pound and Ankalaev tries to up the volume. The referee eventually calls us, to do us all a favor.

Official decision: Magomed Ankalaev def. Bogdan Guskov via TKO (ground and pound), round 4 (2:41)

Steve Erceg vs. Ramazan Temirov

Round 1: Temirov clocks Erceg and immediately knocks him down. Erceg gets up and goes for a takedown, but eats a spinning kick to the body on the way in. Erceg tries to settle down a little and get his boxing going. Erceg manages to take the center, but Temirov is still throwing haymakers from his back pocket. He glances one off Erceg and sends him down again. He rocks Erceg another two times. Erceg is circling away trying to find some relief. Temirov keeps landing and eventually Erceg goes down on his face.

Official decision: Ramazan Temirov def. Steve Erceg by KO (punches), round 1 (4:21)

Damien Rzepecki vs. Magomed Zaynukov

Round 1: Rzepecki gets the clinch early and pushes Zaynukov to the fence. Zaynukov manages to get a break and they trade in the center, with Zaynukov landing a good elbow. Some more even exchanges follow, but Rzepecki pulls away after getting poked in the eye. That causes a break. on the restart Rzepecki lands a flash takedown. Zaynukov lands some shots after that to close the round, though.

Round 2: Zaynukov gets a bodylock and uses that to score a takedown, early, in the center of the cage. Rzepecki manages to crawl back to the fence and get up, though. There’s some more even, though low impact, exchanges and Rzepecki pushes Zaynukov to the fence. This time Zaynukov lands some big elbows that hurt Rzepecki and open him up. Zaynukov now lands some jump knees as Rzepecki starts to fade.

Round 3: Rzepecki comes out looking for a takedown. He can’t get it, but he can get Zaynukov to the fence. Zaynukov manages to separate and scores some good shots, before Rzepecki puts him back on the fence. This time Rzepecki lands a nice short elbow of his own. They separate again and Zaynukov lands a front kick, then lead elbow. Rzepecki comes close on a spinning elbow and then pushes Zaynukov into the fence again. Another separation and more big shots from Zaynukov, along with a flash takedown. Rzepecki is showing a ton of toughness, but he’s getting chewed up.

Official decision: Magomed Zaynukov def. Damian Rzepecki by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Rizvan Kuniev vs. Tyrell Fortune

Round 1: Fortune lands some nice leg kicks that seem to have Kuniev limping a little. Kuniev still manages to get close and land a pair of big right hands, though. Kuniev is starting to flow now, with combos and big running knee. Fortune is absorbing those shots, though, and firing back with single shots of his own. Kuniev then hurts Fortune with a spinning kick to the gut. Fortune covers up and Kuniev tries to land some volume. Fortune manages to survive, though.

Round 2: Kuniev attacked early in the round and hurt Fortune again, causing a big welt around one of Fortune’s eyes. Kuniev then lands a big knee up the middle. That really hurt Fortune. Fortune covers up against the fence. Kuniev lands more knees and uppercuts. Kuniev starts to target the body. Fortune does amazing to survive the round.

Round 3: Fortune tells his corner he can’t breathe because of his injured rib. Fortune comes out swinging, though. Kuniev manages to hurt him again, though. Kuniev finally puts him down with a jump knee, followed by a second big knee. Daniel Cormier goes off on the corner, saying we didn’t need to see that — and I agree.

Official decision: Rizvan Kuniev def. Tyrell Fortune by TKO (knees), round 3 (1:12)

Abubaker Vagaev vs. Saygid Izagakhmaev

Round 1: Vagaev ducks under a Izagakhmaev punch and lands a takedown early. He lays heavy on Izagkhmaev, who resorts to simply closing guard and trying to limit the damage. Izagakhmaev eventually shows some signs of life with a leg lock attack. He eventually gets up and manages to stay up for the last minute or so.

Round 2: Vagaev seems more willing to strike in the opening moments of the round. That opens up a chance for Izagakhmaev to land a takedown, though. Vagaev is quickly up against the fence, though, and turning Izagakhmaev. Vagaev grinds Izagakhmaev for the rest of the round and lands some nice elbows in the clinch.

Round 3: After being fired up by his corner (who told him he has to die in the Octagon), Izagakhmaev’s striking gets through and Vagaev is hurt! Iazagakhmaev then goes for a takedown, which Vagaev defends. Vagaev, now clear headed, takes Izagakhmaev down along the fence. Izagakhmaev uses a kimura to sweep and get to his feet, though. On the feet Vagaev again presses him to the fence. The referee separates them and Vagaev responds with a blast double. Izagakhmaev ends up on top in a scramble, though, and he gets close on an arm triangle. Vagaev fights that off but Izagakhmaev gets full mount with a minute left. The round ends with Izagakhmaev rolling for an armbar. He takes the round, but not the fight.

Official decision: Abubaker Vagaev def. Saygid Izagakhmaev by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Valter Walker vs. Thomas Petersen: Well it wasn’t a heel hook… Walker pulled guard on Petersen early and then went for his heel hook. Petersen did a good job of defending that and was trying to crawl out of trouble. But Walker was able to trap Petersen’s heel and then position it into a calf slicer. Petersen tapped before something snapped.

Official decision: Valter Walker def. Thomas Petersen by submission (calf slicer), round 1 (1:32)

Mohammad Saidov vs. Dustin Jacoby: Jacoby looked pretty good early on in this fight, brawling with Said — who looked very cold and calculated. In the second round Said’s speed and power started to wear on Jacoby. Then, the newcomer, landed an epic punch and head kick combo that floored Jacoby. Jacoby survived that, but Said swarmed and forced a rather late TKO.

Official decision: Mohammad Saidov def. Dustin Jacoby by TKO (punches), round 2 (4:49)

Sam Patterson vs. Santiago Ponznibbio: Ponznibbio landed some good shots early, but the 40 year-old slowed down fast. Patterson, who is ten years younger, heated up midway through the first and started hurting Ponznibbio with everything that landed. Ponznibbio came out tired and dazed in the second and Patterson kept piling on the pressure until he couldn’t take anymore.

Official decision: Sam Patterson def. Santiago Ponznibbio by TKO (punches), round 2 (3:06)

Ismael Bonfim vs. Axel Sola: Sola gets a very impressive first round finish. Bonfim went for a single leg and Sola chose offense as the best defense. He nailed Bonfim with short punches to the side of the head and was able to put him down and then continue with ground and pound. As Bonfim squirmed, he locked up a D’arce for the win.

Official decision: Axel Sola def. Ismael Bonfim by submission (D’arce choke), round 1 (4:44)

Brendson Ribeiro vs. Magomed Tuchalov: Ribeiro stuns Tuchalov in the first round, hurting him on the feet and seemingly unsettling him with his offense. Tuchalov responded in the second and third and was able to use his wrestling to grind out a decision. That wasn’t the showcase he was hoping for here, though.

Official decision: Magomed Tuchalov def. Brendson Ribeiro by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Nurullo Aliev vs. Mike Davis: Aliev’s wrestling looked elite today. He dominated Mike Davis and getting give him room to breathe, let alone mount any kind of offense. David tried to make things interesting, off his back, but Aliev was just far too good. Still… would have been nice if all that dominance led to a finish.

Official decision: Nurullo Aliev def. Mike Davis by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Abdul Hussein vs. Cody Gibson: Gibson slapped on a mounted guillotine early in the first round and then cycled through about six different choke styles. Hussein stayed calm and was able to eventually squeeze himself out of trouble. Gibson, who came in on short notice, was exhausted after that. He was a lame duck on the feet and in the third, Hussein was able to drag him down and get a head and arm choke of his own, which Gibson tapped from (out of exhaustion more than anything else).

Official decision: Abdul Hussein def. Cody Gibson by submission (head and arm choke), round 3 (3:07)

Live stream begins at 9 A.M ET. …