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This content was machine-translated from the French version.
The UFC lands at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi this Saturday, July 25, 2026, for a Fight Night 282 that already smells of major unexpected events. Thirteen fights on the card, a main card broadcast in France from 6:00 PM, and a main event between Magomed Ankalaev and Bogdan Guskov that no one would have predicted two weeks ago. The organization's twenty-third visit to the United Arab Emirates promises to be a crossroads for several careers.
A main event born behind the scenes of chaos
The featured fight was supposed to pit former light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev (21 wins, 2 losses, 1 draw, 1 no contest) against American Khalil Rountree Jr.
The featured fight was supposed to pit former light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev (21 wins, 2 losses, 1 draw, 1 no contest) against American Khalil Rountree Jr. An injury to the challenger, less than two weeks before the deadline, forced the UFC into a quick reshuffle. Jan Błachowicz, former champion, was first approached, but the Pole withdrew due to weight issues, as he couldn't make the limit a week before his own fight. Paulo Costa, contacted next, also declined without public explanation.
Bogdan Guskov (18 wins, 3 losses, 1 draw) thus inherits this unexpected marquee matchup. The Uzbek, ninth in the division, was originally scheduled a week later against Błachowicz in Las Vegas. This disrupted calendar offers him a sudden chance to shake up the hierarchy. Undefeated since his UFC arrival in 2023, Guskov had strung together four consecutive finishes before a draw against Błachowicz in December 2025 at UFC 323. His power in the early phases and his ability to dictate the pace make him a far more dangerous opponent than his ranking suggests.
On the other side, Ankalaev carries an ambition for redemption bordering on obsession. Crowned light heavyweight champion in March 2026 at UFC 313 against Alex Pereira, the Dagestani from Makhachkala lost his belt in the immediate rematch, stopped in the first round at UFC 320 in October 2025. This Fight Night is his first fight since, and nothing less than a dominant victory will suffice to relaunch his march toward the title.
Axel Sola, time for a rebound
The French corner will be well guarded on Saturday. Axel Sola, 28, opens the main card in the lightweight division against Brazilian Ismael Bonfim. A former ARES FC champion, trained at Boxing Squad in Nice under Aldric Cassata, the Frenchman had made a strong statement in his UFC debut with a quick TKO over Rhys McKee in September 2025. His first professional loss, by decision against Welshman Mason Jones in March 2026, brutally brought him back to reality after a near-perfect run of eleven wins and one draw.
On the other side, Ismael Bonfim (20 wins, 6 losses) is going through a period of major turbulence. Entering through the big door via the Dana White's Contender Series with a jumping knee KO that froze Terrance McKinney, the Brazilian has since suffered three notable setbacks, including a loss to Benoît Saint Denis in 2023 and two consecutive defeats in 2025. His last fight was marred by a weight miss, a fault that weighs heavily in a sport where every detail counts. The duel between these two fighters seeking redemption promises to be the most unpredictable matchup of the evening.
A card that shapes the future
Magomed Zaynukov (8 wins, 0 losses), a protégé of Islam Makhachev, makes his UFC debut at 31, armed with the contract he earned at the Contender Series in October 2025 and his stint at the Eagle MMA academy. Polish fighter Damian Rzepecki (10 wins, 0 losses), former FEN champion and teammate of Ilia Topuria, promises uncompromising opposition between two undefeated prospects, one of whom will see their zero disappear. In the heavyweight division, number eight Rizvan Kuniev faces Tyrell Fortune, a fight postponed from June for undisclosed reasons. In the flyweight division, Steve Erceg, tenth, challenges Uzbek Ramazan Temirov, with a top-10 spot directly at stake. In the prelims, Argentine veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio, 39, will meet Englishman Sam Patterson, while Georgian Nurullo Aliev, undefeated in two UFC outings, will face American Mike Davis in a lightweight bout that could steal the spotlight from the more publicized matchups.
For Ankalaev, a convincing victory would put him back in pole position for another title fight at light heavyweight. For Guskov, taking down the former champion would turn a last-minute interim into a definitive springboard to the top. For Axel Sola, returning to success against such a dangerous yet inconsistent opponent would validate his place among the fighters the UFC intends to keep. See you Saturday from 3:00 PM for the prelims.
