Dustin Jacoby will make his 18th appearance in the UFC on July 25. The promotion holds an event that day at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The American fighter takes on promotional newcomer Muhammad Said in the light-heavyweight division.
Multiple sources have confirmed the booking to Heavy.com. Jacoby is ranked at No. 11 in the UFC Meta Rankings. A massive opportunity for the Russian newcomer to get into the rankings after his first fight.
The Hanyak Always Comes For The Finish
Dustin Jacoby is one of the most recognizable names in the division. The American fighter made his UFC debut in 2011 but was cut from the promotion after two consecutive losses. For years, Jacoby bounced between kickboxing and MMA. However, he fully recommitted to mixed martial arts after earning a second chance on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2020. Since securing his new contract, Jacoby has kept his focus entirely on MMA. Jacoby went on a very impressive seven-fight unbeaten run in the UFC.
His great streak got broken by Khalil Rountree Jr., who beat Jacoby via a very controversial split decision. That loss did resultwise a lot of damage to Jacoby. The momentum shifted, and the American fighter only won one of his next four fights. He dropped out of the top 15. At the end of 2024, Jacoby surprised Vitor Petrino by knocking him out in the third round. This was the win Jacoby needed to get back on track. He then beat both Bruno Lopes and Julius Walker by finish and is now riding a three-fight winning streak. Jacoby now takes on Muhammad Said.
A Big Opportunity In His UFC Debut
Said started his professional MMA career in 2022. The Russian fighter who now represents the United Arab Emirates was, before his professional career, also active as an amateur fighter. Said became an absolute must-watch attraction during his time with MMA Series Russia. He transformed into a walking highlight reel, with a string of spectacular head kicks and spinning wheel-kick knockouts.
After defeating UFC veteran Leonardo Guimarães, he signed with UAE Warriors. Said made a massive impact during his two-fight stint with the promotion. He first secured a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Valmir da Silva, before delivering an early, devastating first-round knockout against UFC veteran Luis Henrique da Silva. Now he takes on Dustin Jacoby in his UFC debut and puts his undefeated record on the line.
UFC Abu Dhabi – (July 25th)
- Magomed Ankalaev vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.
- Rizvan Kuniev vs. Tyrell Fortune
- Steve Erceg vs. Ramazan Temirov
- Dustin Jacoby vs. Muhammad Said
- Abubakar Vagaev vs. Saygid Izagakhmaev
- Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Sam Patterson
- Valter Walker vs. Thomas Petersen
- Nurullo Aliev vs. Mike Davis
- Ismael Bonfim vs. Axel Sola
- Islam Dulatov vs. Wellington Turman
- Abdul Hussein vs. TBA
- Magomed Tuchalov vs. Brendson Ribeiro
- Magomed Zaynukov vs. Damian Rzepecki
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