UFC Abu Dhabi main card reveal confirms debut fight for Bellator star

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Drew Beaupre | Last updated Jun 18, 2025 11:14 AM ET

(Zuffa LLC)

One of the more highly-anticipated UFC debuts in recent memory is officially set for the main card of UFC Abu Dhabi.

The UFC’s summer scheduled is in full swing as the promotion prepares for this weekend’s UFC Baku, but after heading back to Las Vegas for UFC 317 next week the promotion will take a rare two-week break to kick off July.

All three UFC cards in July will take place on the road, and after trips to Nashville, TN and New Orleans, LA a stacked UFC Fight Night card at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena will close out the month on a high note.

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Aaron Pico Debuts vs. Movsar Evloev At UFC Abu Dhabi

There have already been several major bout announcements for a UFC Abu Dhabi card that will be headlined by former UFC Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker and Reinier de Ridder, and now the promotion has confirmed that former Bellator star Aaron Pico will step into the Octagon for the first time at the Etihad Arena.

Your official #UFCAbuDhabi main card

Get tickets https://t.co/ojDTmVzleU @VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/ZDPkQeLCsm
— UFC (@ufc) June 18, 2025

The long-rumored matchup with Movsar Evloev will see Pico jump straight into the deep end of the UFC featherweight division, as Evloev is currently ranked at #4 and boasts a perfect professional record that includes nine wins in the UFC.

Ex-Bellator Stars Are 0-2 In The UFC This Year

Still just 28 years old, Pico will try to buck the recent trend of bad luck that former Bellator fighters have had in their UFC debuts when he meets Evloev in a five-round co-main event in Abu Dhabi.

Former Bellator double-champ Patricio Pitbull made his Octagon debut at UFC 314 earlier this year but suffered a unanimous decision loss to Yair Rodriguez, while former bantamweight titleholder Patchy Mix also joined the promotion to considerable fanfare when he stepped in to replace Marlon Vera at UFC 316 and came up short against Mario Bautista.

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A matchup with the undefeated Evloev is certainly a tough out for Pico’s UFC debut, but perhaps the 28-year-old will be able to take some inspiration from the 3-0 start that former ONE Championship double-champ de Ridder has put together in the Octagon to earn a massive main event opportunity against Whittaker at UFC Abu Dhabi.