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Magomed Ankalaev captured light heavyweight gold with a win over Alex Pereira in March 2025. | Getty/UFC
Magomed Ankalaev is set to get back to work for the first time since losing the light heavyweight crown this past October.
Ankalaev will face former title challenger Khalil Rountree in the UFC Abu Dhabi main event, while Umar Nurmagomedov will lock horns with David Martinez in the evening’s bantamweight co-headliner. The Las Vegas-based promotion announced the bouts on Monday. UFC Abu Dhabi — also known as UFC Fight Night 282 — takes place at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and airs in its entirety on Paramount+.
Ankalaev last appeared at UFC 320, where he suffered an 80-second technical knockout loss to Alex Pereira in a light heavyweight championship rematch this past October. Prior to that, “Big Ank” authored a 14-bout promotional unbeaten streak that saw him claim 205-pound gold with a five-round verdict over “Poatan” at UFC 313. The 33-year-old Dagestani also owns victories over the likes of Aleksandar Rakic, Johnny Walker, Anthony Smith, Thiago Santos and Volkan Oezdemir.
Rountree, meanwhile, is coming off a 1-1 campaign in 2025. The 36-year-old Syndicate MMA product outdueled Jamahal Hill in the UFC Baku main event last June before suffering a third-round knockout loss to Jiri Prochazka at UFC 320. A five-bout winning streak from 2021 to 2023 propelled “The War Horse” to a light heavyweight title shot at UFC 307, where he suffered a fourth-round stoppage defeat against Pereira.
Title Contender vs. Surging Prospect
Nurmagomedov won his first 18 professional outings — including six in the Octagon — before dropping a unanimous decision to Merab Dvalishvili in a bantamweight title tilt at UFC 311. The Eagles MMA standout has since rebounded to post back-to-back triumphs over Mario Bautista and Deiveson Figueiredo.
Mexico City’s Martinez has emerged as one of the bantamweight division’s rising stars during a 10-bout professional winning streak that began in May 2021. The Dana White's Contender Series alum is 3-0 in the UFC, posting successive triumphs over Samon Oliveira, Rob Font and Marlon Vera.
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