Just a few months ago, Khamzat Chimaev welcomed one of his teammates to the UFC. Now, that same teammate’s promotional debut is hanging in the balance after a matchup on the UFC Abu Dhabi card unexpectedly fell apart. The event is set for Saturday, July 25, 2026, at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, but which fight has been scrapped?

“We see that some have already written about the fight cancellation; we’ve known about it for about a week now, but we couldn’t release the information,” Вестник ММА wrote on X. “Magomedrasul Gasanov will not be able to compete at #UFCAbuDhabi, they’re looking for another opponent for Abubakar Vagaev.”

Kevin, a trusted source for MMA news, confirmed the development on X. However, the reason behind Khabib Nurmagomedov’s teammate Gasanov’s withdrawal remains unknown. Both Gasanov and Vagaev were scheduled to make their UFC debuts, but with Gasanov out of the bout and no replacement opponent announced, Vagaev’s debut is in serious doubt. 

This is even more troubling for Vagaev because he hasn’t fought since February last year at ACA 183. He defeated former UFC star Albert Tumenov to become the promotion’s welterweight champion. Khamzat Chimaev was right there during the win, celebrating it by picking up his teammate on his shoulders. 

Vagaev has a record of 24-4, making him a promising entry in the promotion. The Abu Dhabi card itself will be headlined by a fight between Magomed Ankalaev and Khalil Rountree Jr., with Umar Nurmagomedov on the undercard, facing off against David Martinez. In any case, such withdrawals aren’t a new phenomenon in the UFC.

Just last month, ahead of UFC Macau, Jesus Aguilar had to pull out of the fight on the card. He was supposed to face Rei Tsuruya, and after Aguilar’s withdrawal, the UFC brought in Luis Gurule as a last-minute replacement. However, things didn’t end well for Aguilar, who was booted from the promotion five days later amid a wave of roster cuts. 

Despite Vagaev’s uncertain fate, there are other exciting names rumored to be added to the card.

Promising prospect set to make debut at UFC Abu Dhabi

According to Heavy, promising bantamweight prospect Abdul Hussein is set to make his UFC debut when he faces Muin Gafurov at UFC Abu Dhabi. This fight was further confirmed by Gafurov’s management team, which posted about it on Instagram. 

“Paixao Sports & Entertainment is proud to announce that Muin ‘Tajik’ Gafurov returns to action on the biggest stage in mixed martial arts,” Paixao Sports & Entertainment Management wrote. “Muin ‘Tajik’ Gafurov will face Abdul ‘Abba’ Hussein at UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on July 25.”

Meanwhile, the card will also feature former Versace model Islam Dulatov, who will face Wellington Turman in a welterweight bout. The German fighter last competed in July 2025 when he defeated Adam Fugitt via first-round knockout, having been signed to the promotion after a win at Dana White’s Contender Series in 2024. 

It appears UFC Abu Dhabi already has a stacked card, but Abubakar Vagaev will have to wait for a new opponent before the event. Who do you think he should fight?