UFC CEO Dana White dropped a barrage of match-making news (17–20 June) that reshaped three upcoming cards: UFC 319 in Chicago, the stacked UFC Abu Dhabi PPV (26 July) and a supporting Fight Night. Here’s every confirmed fight and why it matters.
🏆 UFC 319 – 16 Aug • Chicago, IL
Middleweight Title: Dricus du Plessis (c) vs Khamzat Chimaev
— Third defense for Du Plessis; Chimaev’s first championship shot.
New match-ups added this week
| Fight | Why It’s Big |
|---|---|
| Jessica Andrade vs Loopy Godinez (Straw) | Former champ Andrade returns to 115 lb |
| Michal Oleksiejczuk vs Gerald Meerschaert (Middle) | Two finishers, seldom see judges |
🌍 UFC Abu Dhabi – 26 Jul • Etihad Arena
Headliner: Robert Whittaker vs Reinier de Ridder (five rounds, middleweight)
Five fresh bouts announced
| Division | Match-up | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Feather | Movsar Evloev vs Aaron Pico | Pico’s high-profile UFC debut |
| Bantam | Petr Yan vs Marcus McGhee | Ex-champ vs 2024 breakout |
| Bantam | Bryce Mitchell vs Said Nurmagomedov | Grappling clash |
| Middle | Shara Magomedov vs Marc-André Barriault | Pure striking fireworks |
| LHW | Nikita Krylov vs Bogdan Guskov | Top-15 stakes |
🔥 Fight Night (Aug, TBA)
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Asu Almabayev vs Ramazan Temirov – flyweight prospects
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Ibo Aslan vs Billy Elekana – Contender Series rematch
Why These Announcements Matter
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Middleweight gold on the line in Du Plessis-Chimaev = potential Adesanya/Poatan mega-fight down the road.
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Whittaker’s redemption tour pits him against a former ONE double-champ.
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Aaron Pico jumps straight into top-5 featherweight waters.
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Andrade returns to the weight class where she once ruled—Brazilian fans rejoice.