UFC Abu Dhabi main and co-main events set for July 25: Ankalaev vs. Roundtree, Nurmagomedov vs. Martinez

The UFC has locked in a pair of compelling matchups to headline its July 25 card in Abu Dhabi, with Magomed Ankalaev set to face Khalil Rountree Jr. in the main event and Umar Nurmagomedov taking on David Martinez in the co-main.

Rountree Jr. enters the light heavyweight headliner ranked seventh in the division at 36 years old, carrying a 15-7 record. The southpaw stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach and brings genuine finishing power to every fight, landing 3.88 significant strikes per minute. His pure striking style is evident in the numbers — he has never registered a takedown attempt per 15 minutes, making him an unambiguous stand-and-trade threat.

Umar Nurmagomedov, ranked second in the bantamweight division, steps in as the co-main event's marquee name. The 30-year-old Russian holds a 20-1 record and fights out of Eagles MMA. Standing five-foot-eight with a 69-inch reach, he combines sharp offense — landing 3.86 significant strikes per minute at 56 percent accuracy — with a smothering grappling game that produces 4.03 takedowns per 15 minutes.

His opponent, David Martinez, known as "Black Spartan," is a 27-year-old Mexican prospect out of Bonebreakers MMA who carries a 14-1 record into the bout. Despite standing just five-foot-five with a 67-inch reach, Martinez is the most active striker of the four fighters announced, landing 4.82 significant strikes per minute. He has yet to register a submission attempt per 15 minutes in the UFC database, suggesting a primarily striking-based approach.

Why it matters

• Ankalaev and Rountree are both in the light heavyweight title picture, giving the main event serious divisional weight.
• A win for Nurmagomedov over Martinez would push the second-ranked bantamweight closer to a title shot.
• Martinez's high strike output sets up a legitimate stand-up test for Nurmagomedov despite the significant experience gap between the two.