Asaf Chopurov defends bantamweight title in UAE Warriors 72 main event

UAE Warriors is back with another July showdown during UFC fight week.

UAE Warriors 72 takes place on July 23 at the Space 42 Arena in Abu Dhabi and streams on UFC Fight Pass. A person with knowledge of the event informed MMA Junkie of the news but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

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The event will be headlined by a bantamweight title fight between champion Asaf Chopurov (10-0) and ex-ONE Championship fighter Reece McLaren (19-9), which was initially scheduled to headline UAE Warriors 69 in March before McLaren withdrew from the fight. Chopurov fought Adriano Ramos instead, submitting in Round 1 to retain his belt.

In the co-main event, former UAE Warriors bantamweight champion and 2024 PFL MENA champion Ali Taleb (12-2) meets former Road To UFC fighter Peter Danesoe (9-4). Also on the card will be former LFA welterweight champion and Season 32 "Ultimate Fighter" alum Shamidkhan Magomedov (11-1), who needs a new opponent after Magomed Kabardiev (11-2) was forced out. The prelims will feature Team Khabib Nurmagomedov's Kurban Zaynukov (5-0), who takes on Moldova's Pavel Andrusca (7-0).

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Asaf Chopurov headlines UAE Warriors 72 on July 23