Yousri Belgaroui (2-0 in the UFC) will face Jhordan Santos (1-2 in the UFC) at UFC Noche on September 12 at middleweight. The bout replaces a previously scheduled contest involving Kelvin Gastelum, who has withdrawn for undisclosed reasons.
Yousri Belgaroui and Jhordan Santos have been booked to meet at middleweight on September 12 at UFC Noche, stepping in to fill a slot left vacant after Kelvin Gastelum withdrew from a previously scheduled bout for undisclosed reasons.
Belgaroui enters the contest riding a perfect 2-0 run inside the Octagon, part of an overall professional record of 10-3. The 34-year-old from Tunisia trains out of Teixeira MMA and Fitness and presents a striking-heavy profile that few middleweights can match on paper. Standing six-foot-six with a 79-inch reach, he generates an impressive 6.1 significant strikes per minute at a 64-percent accuracy clip — numbers that rank among the more dangerous outputs in the division. He fights out of an orthodox stance and has shown little reliance on the grappling game, recording virtually no submission attempts in his UFC appearances.
Santos arrives at UFC Noche holding a 1-2 mark in the promotion. Beyond that UFC record, further verified details on Santos were not available in confirmed data, so his broader career statistics are not cited here.
Why it matters
- Belgaroui's undefeated UFC record and elite striking output make him one of the more intriguing rising names at 185 pounds.
- Santos will be looking to avoid falling to 1-3 in the promotion, making this a high-stakes outing for his UFC future.
- The late replacement scenario means both fighters likely had limited preparation time tailored specifically to each other.
- Gastelum's withdrawal removes a veteran presence from the card, and his next steps at middleweight remain unclear.
