UFC Abu Dhabi adds former welterweight contender to lineup

1 month ago 9

Santiago Ponzinibbio returns to enactment astatine UFC Abu Dhabi.

The UFC announced Friday that Ponzinibbio (30-9) is acceptable to combat England’s Sam Patterson (14-3-1) successful a welterweight bout connected its July 25 Etihad Arena card. This marks Ponzinibbio’s archetypal combat since May 2025.

Ponzinibbio, 39, was erstwhile connected his mode to a rubric changeable aft winning 7 consecutive fights from 2015-2018. However, the Argentine was hindered by galore wellness issues and past mislaid to Li Jingliang successful a comeback combat successful 2021. Since that defeat, Ponzinibbio has won conscionable 3 of his past 8 fights. In his astir caller outing, helium suffered a third-round knockout nonaccomplishment to Daniel Rodriguez.

On the different side, Patterson besides looks to regain momentum aft a disappointing effort against Michael Page this past March. Not lone did Patterson lose, but the bout was heavy criticized for its deficiency of action, arsenic the friends and grooming partners appeared reluctant to engage. Prior to that setback, Patterson rattled disconnected 4 consecutive wins, each by knockout oregon submission.

UFC Abu Dhabi is headlined by airy heavyweight bout betwixt erstwhile champion Magomed Ankalaev and Khalil Rountree Jr.

See the updated UFC Abu Dhabi lineup beneath (bout bid inactive to beryllium finalized).

Magomed Ankalaev vs Khalil Rountree Jr.

Steve Erceg vs. Ramazan Temirov

Rizvan Kuniev vs. Tyrell Fortune

Islam Dulatov vs. Wellington Turman

Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Sam Patterson

Ismael Bonfim vs. Axel Sola

Valter Walker vs. Thomas Petersen

Uran Satybaldiev vs. Dustin Jacoby

Magomed Tuchalov vs. Brendson Ribeiro

Magomed Zaynukov vs. Damian Rzepecki