The UFC’s event this weekend lost half of its main event when an injury forced Khalil Rountree Jr. to bow out. As it is, former light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev has a new opponent in Bogdan Guskov and he’ll be looking to move back toward a shot to regain his title. Let’s talk UFC Abu Dhabi.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Event: UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Guskov (UFC Fight Night 282)
- Date: Saturday, July 25, 2026
- Location: Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Start times: Prelims 9 a.m. ET / Main card 12 p.m. ET
- How to watch (U.S.): Paramount+
- Main event: Magomed Ankalaev vs. Bogdan Guskov, light heavyweight
- Highest Hype Score on the card: Ankalaev vs. Guskov (80)
Why Does Ankalaev vs. Guskov Headline UFC Abu Dhabi?
Ankalaev is not fighting for a belt in Abu Dhabi, but a clean win drops him back into a wide-open light heavyweight race where even former champions are on the move. He lost the title to Alex Pereira last October, a first-round stoppage that ended a 14-fight unbeaten run.
Guskov took the fight on short notice, carries a five-fight unbeaten streak with a 100 percent finish rate, and becomes the first fighter from Uzbekistan to headline a UFC card. His countryman Ramazan Temirov sits in the co-main, turning Saturday into a landmark night for the double-landlocked nation.
What Makes the Rest of the Abu Dhabi Card Special?
I’m excited for the co-main event. Temirov is one of the scariest flyweights in the world. He takes on Steve Erceg in a battle that could win Fight of the Night. There’s a ranked heavyweight fight on tap too with No. 8 Rizvan Kuniev taking on American Tyrell Fortune, who is ranked No. 9.
We’ll also see submission specialist Valter Walker taking on Thomas Petersen. If Valter collects another leg lock submission or any kind of win, he has to be close to a title shot.
Walker versus Petersen lands on the prelims, but the rest of that group anchors a UFC Abu Dhabi main card built on contenders rather than big names.
UFC Abu Dhabi Full Card and Hype Scores
Every bout on the card, graded on the Hype Meter and scored out of 100. Bout order is subject to late changes.
Main card (12 p.m. ET)
- Magomed Ankalaev vs. Bogdan Guskov (LHW) — Hype Score 80
- Steve Erceg vs. Ramazan Temirov (FLW) — Hype Score 62
- Rizvan Kuniev vs. Tyrell Fortune (HW) — Hype Score 41
- Islam Dulatov vs. Wellington Turman (WW) — Hype Score 27
- Magomed Zaynukov vs. Damian Rzepecki (LW) — Hype Score 22
- Abubakar Vagaev vs. Saygid Izagakhmaev (WW) — Hype Score 20
Prelims (9 a.m. ET)
- Valter Walker vs. Thomas Petersen (HW) — Hype Score 60
- Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Sam Patterson (WW) — Hype Score 50
- Ismael Bonfim vs. Axel Sola (LW) — Hype Score 30
- Dustin Jacoby vs. Muhammad Said (LHW) — Hype Score 26
- Nurullo Aliev vs. Mike Davis (LW) — Hype Score 24
- Abdul Hussein vs. Cody Gibson (BW) — Hype Score 23
- Brendson Ribeiro vs. Magomed Tuchalov (LHW) — Hype Score 21
How Does the Entire UFC Abu Dhabi Card Rate?
Run through the Hype Meter, UFC Abu Dhabi lands at an overall Hype Score of 60 out of 100, which puts it in Solid territory. The number is weighted toward the main event at 40 percent, the co-main at 20 percent, the rest of the main card at 25 percent and the best prelim at 15 percent.
The card leans almost entirely on its top three fights. Ankalaev-Guskov (80), the Erceg-Temirov co-main (62) and Walker’s prelim (60) which should probably be on the main card, but that carries the show.
A prospect-heavy middle keeps it from climbing into Strong Card range. If you are setting the early alarm for the U.S. start time, those three are the reason.
What Is the Hype Meter?
The Hype Meter is a formula I created to gauge the overall fan appeal for each UFC event. It takes fighter notoriety, accomplishment, stakes and developing storylines into consideration.
Each fight is scored from one to 10 on those four inputs, weighted most heavily toward notoriety and stakes, then converted into a score out of 100. The event score blends the main card and the top prelim into the single number you see above.
The Hype Meter scale:
- 85 and up — Must-Watch
- 70 to 84 — Strong Card
- 55 to 69 — Solid
- 40 to 54 — One Reason to Watch
- Below 40 — Deep Cut
