Mixed martial arts returns to Doha on Saturday, November 21, as UFC Fight Night prepares to take place at the Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena. The event, organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in partnership with Visit Qatar, marks the promotion’s second visit to the country following a successful debut last year.
The initial UFC event in Qatar, held in November 2025 at the ABHA Arena, drew over 8,000 spectators, including fans from across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and international markets. The upcoming Fight Night promises to bring together a blend of former champions, ranked contenders, and fighters who competed in the previous event, continuing Qatar’s growing roster of major international sports occasions.
The main event features former light heavyweight champion Jiri Procházka, who is currently ranked No. 2 in the division. Fighting out of Brno, Czech Republic, Procházka faces No. 5 ranked Navajo Stirling from Auckland, New Zealand. Procházka, who claimed the UFC light heavyweight title in 2022 by defeating Glover Teixeira at UFC 275 before vacating the belt due to injury, will be returning to the Octagon® for the first time since April. Known for his striking power, Procházka holds 28 knockout wins. His opponent, Stirling, remains undefeated at 11-0 and recently earned his UFC contract via Dana White’s Contender Series. Stirling has amassed six consecutive victories in the UFC, including a stoppage over former champion Jan Błachowicz this August. The bout is scheduled for five rounds.
In the co-main event, former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling will compete against No. 9 featherweight contender Kevin Vallejos. Sterling, fighting out of Cortland, New York, has shifted to featherweight after defending his bantamweight title three times and has won three of four fights in the new division. Vallejos, from Buenos Aires, Argentina, enters the fight on the back of four straight UFC wins, including victories over Giga Chikadze and Josh Emmett.
Several fighters who appeared in last year’s Qatar event will return, including No. 13 ranked lightweight Dan Hooker and two-time featherweight title challenger Brian Ortega, who will move up to lightweight for their matchup. The flyweight division will feature a bout between No. 7 Asu Almabayev of Kazakhstan and No. 5 Kyoji Horiguchi from Florida, both of whom secured submission victories in Doha last year.
The card also includes noteworthy international matchups across divisions: former middleweight title challenger Jared Cannonier (No. 11) of Arizona faces Ikram Aliskerov (No. 13) of Russia, while in heavyweight action, Bahrain-based Shamil Gaziev takes on Brazil’s Tallison Teixeira. Additional fights include welterweight contenders Tahir Abdullayev of Russia against Australia’s Jake Matthews, bantamweights Aleksandre Topuria and Santiago Luna, as well as a flyweight rematch between Amir Albazi and Alessandro Costa.
UFC Fight Night in Doha offers another high-profile gathering for mixed martial arts enthusiasts in the region, further establishing Qatar’s position as a host for major global sporting events. Tickets for the event are available through the Visit Qatar ticketing platform, with more information accessible via the official Qatar events calendar.