Russia's Amru Magomedov will face Uzbekistan's Jakhongir Jumaev for the vacant lightweight title in the headline bout at UAE Warriors 45 on Tuesday.
The Warriors event kickstarts the Abu Dhabi Showdown Week leading up to UFC 294 at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island on Saturday.
Islam Makhachev, Alex Volkanovski, Khamzat Chimaev and Kamaru Usman are among those who will feature in one of the biggest fight cards in the MMA calendar of events.
Before that, on Tuesday, the UAE Warriors will kick off the week with a packed fight card featuring the brightest prospects from across the globe at the Mubadala Dome at Al Jazira Club and will host fighters from 16 different countries.
Headlining the event is a classic grappler versus striker match-up, as Team Nurmagomedov’s undefeated star Magomedov (6-0) faces the Dubai-based Jumaev (10-3) for the vacant Warriors lightweight title.
UFC veterans will clash in the co-main event. Russian Timur Valiev (18-3), coming straight out of TUF 31 as part of Team Chandler, meets Brazilian Raulian Paiva (21-5) in the bantamweight division.
Fans should expect a cracker as both fighters hold "Fight of the Night" honours within the UFC.
Elsewhere on the card, "Prince" Rany Saadeh (12-4) of Germany goes against Filipino Genil Francisco (13-7), Jordan's Ali Al Qaisi (15-6) returns to action in a non-title featherweight bout against Italian Walter Cogliandro (13-4-1), and Japanese stars Hikaru Yoshino (12-3) and Yamato Fujita (10-4) take on Renat Khavalov (7-0) and Sanzhar Adilov (11-1-1), respectively.
UAE Warriors 45 will be streamed live around the world on UFC FIGHT PASS and on ABU DHABI FIGHT in the UAE.
UAE Warriors 45 Fight Card
Main Event
Lightweight title: Amru Magomedov (6-0) v Jakhongir Jumaev (10-3)
Co-Main Event
Bantamweight: Timur Valiev (18-3) v Raulian Paiva (21-5)
Rest of card
Bantamweight: Rany Saadeh (12-4) v Genil Franciso (13-7)
Catchweight 150lbs: Ali Al Qaisi (15-6) v Walter Cogliandro (13-4-1)
Bantamweight: Renat Khavalov (7-0) v Hikaru Yoshino (12-3)
Flyweight: Nawras Abzakh (11-4) v Victor Nunes (9-6)
Flyweight: Sanzhar Adilov (11-1-1) v Yamato Fujita (10-4)
Lightweight: Abdullo Khodzhaev (4-0) v Petru Buzdugen (5-0)
Catchweight 139lbs: Magomed Al-Abdullah (12-1) v Razhabali Shaydullaev (9-0)
Flyweight: Amena Hadaya (3-1) v Cong Wang (2-0)
Middleweight: Khabib Nabiev (6-0) v Adis Taalaybek Uulu (8-4)
Light Heavyweight: Artem Zemlyakov (4-0) v Bartosz Szewczyk (6-2)
