A packed week of fighting festivities in Abu Dhabi will see two top lightweights collide for the vacant UAE Warriors lightweight title at UAE Warriors 45.
The event, which takes place on October 17, forms part of Abu Dhabi Showdown Week, and serves as a warm-up for the big UFC pay-per-view event that weekend, UFC 294, on October 21.
And the main event of UAE Warriors 45 features a battle between an undefeated prospect and a seasoned veteran, as Russia’s Amru Magomedov takes on Alex da Silva for the 155-pound strap.
Magomedov is perfect at 6-0, with four of those wins coming inside the distance. Each of his four stoppage victories have come inside the first round, and he heads into the bout having finished each of his last three opponents. Most recently, he submitted previously undefeated Renan Oliveira via first-round rear-naked choke.
UFC veteran da Silva, meanwhile, snapped a three-fight skid with a third-round TKO of Ali Mashrapov at UAE Warriors 42 in May, then followed up that win with a 41-second guillotine-choke finish of Bagysh Zharmamatov at UAE Warriors 44 in August.
That event was originally due to see Magomedov and da Silva face off, but now the pair will meet, with championship gold on the line.
The event will also feature a bantamweight clash between a pair of UFC veterans, as Timur Valiev takes on Raulian Paiva.