MMA Fight Schedule for July 2026

Mixed martial arts fans certainly won't be bored anytime soon! The upcoming month is literally jam-packed. We are anticipating the long-awaited return of McGregor, a potential contender fight from Du Plessis, and a title fight from Usman Nurmagomedov. In this article, we have gathered the main fights of July 2026 that you definitely cannot miss!

Conor McGregor — Max Holloway (UFC 329, July 12, 2026, USA)

Undoubtedly, this is not only the main fight of the month, but possibly of the entire 2026. Conor has not appeared in the octagon for exactly five years. It seemed that the former double UFC champion would never return. Alcohol problems, injuries, business, and a host of other distractions repeatedly postponed his comeback. But now it's inevitable! The Irishman intends to prove that his era is not over yet. At the UFC 329 tournament in Vegas, his opponent will be the legendary Max Holloway. The guys have already met in a face-to-face battle in 2013. Then McGregor won by unanimous decision of the judges. Now, 12 years later, Max is the favorite in their confrontation. But can Holloway confirm his status? Or will Conor pull off a huge upset? We won't have to wait long for the answers to all our questions!

Benoit Saint-Denis — Paddy Pimblett (UFC 329, July 12, 2026, USA)

In the co-main event of the UFC 329 tournament, Pimblett will have his first fight after a disastrous January performance against Justin Gaethje. Then Paddy was sensationally smashed by the American veteran in a fight for the interim lightweight title. Now the Brit has to prove again that he deserves a place in the top-5 ranking. Pimblett's opponent is former French paratrooper Benoit Saint-Denis, who has accustomed the audience to the fact that there are no boring moments in his fights, and each of his attacks is imbued with aggression and the desire to finish off his opponent. We expect fireworks from this pair!

Robert Whittaker — Nikita Krylov (UFC 329, July 12, 2026, USA)

Whittaker's career at 84 kg has finally come to an end. The former UFC middleweight champion lost 3 out of his last 5 fights, so he decided to seek a new direction. Against this background, his move to light heavyweight seems logical and intriguing. The Australian will be met in the 93 kg category by Russian fighter Nikita Krylov, who is also in a bit of a crisis (two losses in his last three fights). The winner of their battle certainly won't burst into the title race. But to jump straight into the top-5 ranking is a quite realistic scenario.

Johnny Eblen — Impa Kasanganay (PFL Austin, July 19, 2026, USA)

In the card of the PFL tournament in Austin, there's a major reshuffle. The current middleweight champion of the league, Costello van Steenis, won't be able to enter the octagon: the athlete has been ruled out of the fight due to injury. His bout against Johnny Eblen, whichwill not take place as the main event of the evening. However, Impa Kasanganay will step in to replace van Stinis, and he will now share the cage with Eblin. At stake is the interim PFL championship belt in the 84 kg category.

Dricus Du Plessis vs. Kamaru Usman (UFC Fight Night 281, July 19, 2026, USA)

In the main event of UFC Fight Night 281 in Oklahoma, it may be decided who will become the next middleweight contender and get a chance to fight for the belt. Dricus Du Plessis, with his relentless bulldozer style, will try to literally grind down former dominant 77 kg champion Kamaru Usman. An extremely intriguing duel! Especially against the backdrop of this being DDP's first fight after a crushing defeat by Khamzat Chimaev in August 2025.

Magomed Ankalaev vs. Khalil Rountree (UFC Fight Night 282, July 25, 2026, UAE)

On July 25 in Abu Dhabi, UFC Fight Night 282 will take place — and its main event will be a match between Magomed Ankalaev and Khalil Rountree. For the Russian, this fight is a crucial turning point after a painful defeat by Alex Pereira. In October 2025, Ankalaev lost the light heavyweight title, succumbing to a technical knockout in the first round. Now he has to prove again that he deserves a place in the title race, and Magomed's form in this fight is of particular interest. Rountree, in turn, is known for his explosive power and ability to turn the tide of a fight — he certainly does not intend to become a "stepping stone" for Ankalaev.

Ted Ginn vs. Shamil Musaev (PFL Washington, July 26, 2026, USA)

On July 26 in Washington, a high-profile PFL tournament will take place, the main event of which will be a title fight in the welterweight division between Shamil Musaev and Ted Ginn. At stake is the vacant championship belt, which became available after Ramazan Kuramagomedov ended his career without suffering a single defeat. The confrontation between a calculating all-rounder and a persistent contender promises to be a real battle of characters — you definitely should not miss this fight!

Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Archie Colgan (PFL New York, July 31, 2026, USA)

On July 31 in New York, one of the most anticipated fights of the summer will take place — Usman Nurmagomedov will enter the octagon to defend his PFL lightweight championship title for the sixth time in a fight against American Archie Colgan. For Usman, the cousin of MMA legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, this fight will not just be another belt defense, but a real milestone — he is closing his contract with the league, and UFC scouts will be closely watching this fight. Rumor has it that after this fight, the Russian may move to the world's strongest league, so at stake is not only the title, but also a decisive step towards the next stage of his career.

Dakota Ditcheva vs. Denise Kielholtz (PFL New York, July 31, 2026, USA)

At the event inIn New York, Dakota Ditcheva, one of the brightest stars of PFL, will finally return to the octagon - and she will do it in a long-awaited fight against Denise Kielholtz. Their meeting was supposed to take place back in February, but then the plans were thwarted by an injury to the British fighter, and fans had to postpone their expectations for several months. Now, this crucial duel has a second chance - and the tension around it has only increased!