ACA middleweight champion Magomedrausul Gasanov has signed with the UFC. He will compete at the July 25 event in Abu Dhabi, the same card where Ankalaev faces Khalil Rountree.
Unbeaten ACA middleweight champion Magomedrausul Gasanov has signed with the UFC and is set to make his promotional debut at the July 25 event in Abu Dhabi.
Gasanov arrives in the UFC as the reigning ACA middleweight champion, bringing an undefeated record into the world's top MMA organization. Details on his opponent and precise bout order for the Abu Dhabi card have not yet been confirmed.
The July 25 card is headlined by a light heavyweight clash between Magomed Ankalaev and Khalil Rountree Jr. Ankalaev, 34, holds a 21-2-1 record and carries the number-one divisional ranking alongside a top-five pound-for-pound designation. The Russian fighter out of Gorets Fight Club stands six-foot-three with a 75-inch reach and blends sharp striking — a 52 percent accuracy rate and 3.65 significant strikes per minute — with a credible takedown threat at 0.79 per 15 minutes.
Rountree, ranked seventh in the light heavyweight division at 36 years old, brings a 15-7-0 record and stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach. The southpaw lands 3.88 significant strikes per minute, making him one of the more active strikers in the division, though he operates almost exclusively on the feet with no meaningful takedown output.
Why it matters
- Gasanov's signing adds a promoted champion to an already high-profile Abu Dhabi event
- The Ankalaev-Rountree main event carries significant title implications at 205 pounds, with Ankalaev entering as the division's top-ranked contender
- Rountree's aggressive southpaw striking sets up a stylistically intriguing contrast against Ankalaev's accurate, well-rounded game
- Abu Dhabi continues to serve as a major destination for UFC programming, and a stacked card raises the event's global profile
