UFC Abu Dhabi, headlined by Magomed Ankalaev and Johnny Walker, brought some significant action. Ankalaev, making his return to the Octagon, faced off against newcomer Bogdan Guskov after Walker withdrew due to illness just hours before the event. Guskov stepped in on short notice, and the main event saw Ankalaev secure a first-round submission victory. The event, which took place on July 27, 2026, also featured a co-main event between Vicente Luque and Michael Chiesa, with Luque winning by TKO in the first round. Despite the last-minute main event change, the card still delivered some memorable finishes.
Sources (14)
We summarise the day's news in our own words. Full credit to the outlets below for the original reporting, click through to read their work.
- UFC Abu Dhabi loses fight hours before event (MMA Fighting)
- UFC Abu Dhabi ‘Ankalaev vs. Guskov’ play-by-play, results & round scoring (Sherdog)
- PFL Washington D.C. ‘Jean vs. Rodriguez’ play-by-play, results & round scoring (Sherdog)
- Arman Tsarukyan’s expected UFC 331 return card will feature Patricio Pitbull against a Hall of Famer (Bloody Elbow)
- PFL Washington DC: Where to watch Jean vs. Musaev (ESPN MMA)
- Ian Machado Garry is being underestimated ahead of UFC 330, says Belal Muhammad (LowKick MMA)
- UFC Abu Dhabi Start Time, Full Fight Card Details (Yahoo Sports)
- PFL D.C. Results: Jean vs. Rodriguez (MMA Fighting)
- Results + Scorecards | Zuffa Boxing 9: Berlanga vs Butler (UFC)
- LIVE UFC Abu Dhabi: Ankalaev vs. Guskov Results & Highlights (Yahoo Sports)
- UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Guskov Results (Combat Press)
- UFC Abu Dhabi weigh-in results: Magomed Ankalaev makes Octagon return (Sherdog)
- UFC Abu Dhabi live results, highlights and play-by-play (Yahoo Sports)
- UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Guskov Preview and Predictions (Combat Press)
Split from that day's roundup, so the sources listed are the full set behind the whole edition rather than this story alone.
This story ran in the July 25, 2026 edition of the daily show.