According to reports from Vestnik MMA confirmed by multiple sources, a matchup between Abubakar Vagaev and Magomedrasul Gasanov is being developed for the UFC event in Abu Dhabi on July 25. The post humorously refers to this as ACA's "cunning plan" and jokes that fans might be in for 15 minutes of wrestling. The report indicates negotiations are underway but stops short of confirming the bout as finalized. This would represent UFC debuts for both former ACA fighters.
Reports out of Vestnik MMA, corroborated by multiple sources, suggest that a welterweight or lightweight matchup between Abubakar Vagaev and Magomedrasul Gasanov is being negotiated for the UFC's event in Abu Dhabi on July 25. Nothing has been officially confirmed, and the bout should be treated as a developing story until the promotion makes an announcement.
Both men are former ACA fighters, meaning the contest would mark UFC debuts for each competitor if the deal is finalized. ACA, the Russian-based promotion, has served as a pipeline for fighters from the former Soviet states into the UFC, and this pairing would continue that pattern.
The original report carried a wry tone, joking that the matchup amounts to ACA's "cunning plan" and suggesting fans could be in for a grappling-heavy fifteen minutes given the wrestling backgrounds both fighters are understood to bring. That framing points to a style matchup that could lean heavily on the clinch and the mat rather than striking exchanges.
Why it matters
- Both fighters would be making their UFC debuts, raising the divisional stakes for whoever earns the victory
- A win on a UFC Abu Dhabi card is a high-profile launching pad for a career in the promotion
- The reported grappling-oriented style matchup could test the UFC audience's appetite for that brand of wrestling-first MMA
Because no fighter data was available for verification, specific records, rankings, and career statistics have been omitted from this report. AgentMMA will update the story as confirmed details emerge from the UFC or the fighters' management teams.
