Chimaev steps up to light heavyweight to face Weidman after Covington withdraws from RAF Abu Dhabi main event

Khamzat Chimaev and Chris Weidman collide in the RAF Abu Dhabi main event at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, competing for a light heavyweight crossover title after a late change to the card.

Chimaev was originally scheduled to challenge RAF champion Colby Covington, but Covington withdrew from the bout, opening the door for former UFC middleweight champion Weidman to step in. The contest marks a significant weight-class move for Chimaev, who built his UFC reputation at welterweight and middleweight.

In the co-main event, lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan takes on Neiman Gracie in what promises to be a compelling stylistic matchup.

The card also carries an emotional subplot involving Merab Dvalishvili and Saba Lazishvili. The two fighters were attacked by multiple individuals in the hotel lobby on Wednesday, just days before their respective bouts. Despite the incident, both men remain on the card — Dvalishvili facing Marlon Moraes and Lazishvili meeting Urijah Faber.

Elsewhere on the card, fan favourite Zabit Magomedsharipov returns to face Giga Chikadze in a featherweight clash that will draw considerable attention from MMA followers. Olympic wrestling gold medallist Abdulrashid Sadulaev also competes, as does two-time Olympic freestyle wrestling champion Jordan Burroughs, underlining the event’s crossover appeal between combat sports disciplines.

Julianna Peña, the former UFC women’s bantamweight champion, rounds out a card stacked with recognisable names as she faces Diana Avsaragova.