Islam Makhachev vs. Thiago Moises elevated to UFC on ESPN 26 main event on July 17
Islam Makhachev and Thiago Moises are being put in the spotlight for the first time in their UFC careers.
Makhachev (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) and Moises (15-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC), already booked to meet at UFC on ESPN 26 on July 17, now will serve as the night’s five-round main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Two people with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Junkie’s John Morgan of the switch, which comes after Max Holloway was forced to withdraw from the original headliner against Yair Rodriguez.
Islam Makhachev vs. Thiago Moises will now serve as the main event of the UFC’s July 17 event, according to multiple people with knowledge of the agreement. Fight now scheduled for five rounds.
— John Morgan (@MMAjunkieJohn) June 24, 2021
Makhachev, No. 7 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie lightweight rankings, is riding a seven-fight winning streak at 155 pounds and is coming off a submission victory over Drew Dober at UFC 259 in March.
Rather than facing the top-ranked name he was asking for, though, Makhachev will clash with unranked Moises, who has put together consecutive wins over Alexander Hernandez, Bobby Green and Michael Johnson.
The updated lineup for UFC on ESPN 26 now includes:
- Islam Makhachev vs. Thiago Moises
- Marion Reneau vs. Miesha Tate
- Amir Albazi vs. Ode Osbourne
- Sergey Morozov vs. Khalid Taha
- Guram Kutateladze vs. Don Madge
- Gabriel Benitez vs. Billy Quarantillo
- Francisco Figueredo vs. Malcolm Gordon
- Anderson dos Santos vs. Miles Johns
- Alan Baudot vs. Rodrigo Nascimento
- Phil Hawes vs. Deron Winn
- Mateusz Gamrot vs. Jeremy Stephens
- Alan Baudot vs. Rodrigo Nascimento
- Amanda Lemos vs. Montserrat Ruiz
- Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs. Daniel Rodriguez