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