The UFC lands in Abu Dhabi on Saturday 25 July, and for once the timing works beautifully for UK and European fans: an evening card, not a 3am ordeal. UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs Guskov headlines from the Etihad Arena with light heavyweight Magomed Ankalaev against Uzbekistan’s heavy-handed Bogdan Guskov.
The storylines
The main event was reshuffled on the way in — Khalil Rountree Jr was the original opponent before an injury ruled him out, and Guskov stepped up. That’s not a downgrade in danger: Guskov is a genuine knockout artist, and a short-notice puncher against a fighter of Ankalaev’s calibre is exactly the kind of pairing that can end suddenly. Ankalaev headlining in Abu Dhabi keeps him active and in the light heavyweight spotlight against an opponent with real finishing power.
The card runs deep
Beneath the main event, Abu Dhabi cards tend to be stacked, and this one is no exception. Steve Erceg brings top-tier flyweight action, welterweight veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio is always in a fight worth watching, and lightweight Ismael Bonfim adds to a lineup of heavyweight and lightweight bouts that should keep the prelims lively. Short-notice changes are part of the UFC calendar, so it’s worth checking the final running order on fight day.
When to tune in
The Abu Dhabi time zone is the gift here. Prelims start around 4:00 PM BST, the main card from about 7:00 PM BST, and the Ankalaev–Guskov main event should land around 9:00–10:00 PM BST (roughly 10 PM local) on Saturday 25 July — an afternoon watch on the US East Coast and a comfortable evening in the UK. It’s on Paramount+ in the US and TNT Sports in the UK; the free stream linked above carries the whole card, prelims to main event, no sign-up needed.
And what a Saturday it is: Anthony Joshua fights Kristian Prenga in Jeddah with a ring walk expected around 10 PM BST, and Errol Spence Jr faces Tim Tszyu in Sydney in the small hours — with the F1 Hungarian Grand Prix and the Tour de France finish the next day. Guides to all of them are on the site.