Combat Sports Deliver Thrilling Week of Fights Across the Globe

The world of combat sports experienced a packed schedule last week, from July 20-26, 2026, featuring significant matchups in both professional boxing and mixed martial arts across various international venues. Fans were treated to high-stakes encounters, including major UFC and PFL events, as well as a lineup of prominent boxing stars returning to the ring.

In the world of Mixed Martial Arts, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) held UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Guskov on Saturday, July 25, in Abu Dhabi. The main event saw Magomed Ankalaev secure a victory over Bogdan Guskov. Meanwhile, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) hosted PFL Washington D.C.: Jean vs. Rodriguez, also on Saturday, July 25, at the CareFirst Arena. The card featured a welterweight bout between Thad Jean and Shamil Musaev. Earlier in the week, ONE Championship presented ONE Friday Fights 163 and The Inner Circle 23 on July 24 from Bangkok's Lumpinee Stadium, showcasing a variety of martial arts contests.

Professional boxing delivered a series of highly anticipated bouts. Heavyweight action saw Tyson Fury take on Mariusz Wach on Friday, July 24, in Pattaya, Thailand. The following day, former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua made his return against Kristian Prenga in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Also on Saturday, July 25, Errol Spence Jr. squared off against Tim Tszyu in Sydney, Australia. Concluding the weekend's boxing action, Zuffa Boxing made its New York City debut on Sunday, July 26, with Edgar Berlanga facing Steven Butler in a super middleweight clash at the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden. This card also included Richardson Hitchins in a welterweight contest.