UFC Abu Dhabi adds former welterweight contender to lineup

The UFC has added Santiago Ponzinibbio to its July 25 Abu Dhabi card at the Etihad Arena, where the Argentine welterweight will face England's Sam Patterson in a bout aimed at revitalizing both fighters' careers.

Ponzinibbio, 39, was once a rising title contender after reeling off seven consecutive wins between 2015 and 2018, but injuries derailed his momentum. A comeback loss to Li Jingliang in 2021 marked the beginning of a downturn; he has since won only three of his last eight bouts. Most recently, he suffered a third-round knockout defeat to Daniel Rodriguez. Patterson (14-3-1) is seeking to bounce back from a lackluster March performance against Michael Page—a bout criticized for its inactivity, as the two training partners appeared reluctant to engage. Prior to that loss, Patterson had strung together four consecutive victories by knockout or submission.

The welterweight pairing sits on a stacked Abu Dhabi lineup headlined by light heavyweight contender Khalil Rountree Jr. facing former champion Magomed Ankalaev. The card also features Steve Erceg vs. Ramazan Temirov, Rizvan Kuniev vs. Tyrell Fortune, Islam Dulatov vs. Wellington Turman, Ismael Bonfim vs. Axel Sola, Valter Walker vs. Thomas Petersen, Uran Satybaldiev vs. Dustin Jacoby, vs. , vs. , and vs. . Bout order is still to be finalized.