The Fight Night card set for August 1, 2026 at the Belgrade Arena will see Aleksandar Rakic, a Serbian born in Austria, moving to heavyweight to take on Marcin Tybura.

Also added to the event, Belgrade’s own Dusko Todorovic, who will face off against Robert Valentin at middleweight.

Promotion officials announced the match-ups on Monday.

Todorovic (13-6) snapped a three-fight skid in his last outing when he notched a victory over Jose Medina, locking up a rear-naked choke inside of a round. Overall, Todorovic is 4-6 under the UFC banner after winning his way into the promotion via Dana White’s Contender Series in 2019 and debuting the following year.

Valentin (11-6) likewise recently snapped a slump, halting a three-fight skid of his own with a submission of Julien Leblanc at UFC Winnipeg. The win was Valentin’s first under the UFC banner.

As for Aleksandar Rakic (14-6), he returns for the first time since October 2025. That bout, a loss to Azamat Murzukanov, was Rakic’s fourth consecutive setback; he now moves forward at heavyweight looking for a fresh start against Tybura.

Ranked #12 in the heavyweight division, Poland’s Marcin Tybura (27-11) was last seen losing a decision to Tyrell Fortune in March.

The post Rakic Makes Heavyweight Move, Todorovic Also Joins UFC Belgrade appeared first on Cageside Press.

Fortune, taking the fight on short notice, has notable wins over Matt Mitrione and Marcelo Golm, both UFC veterans. He also has a remarkable story, having been declared dead after a botched weight cut.

Round one saw Tybura stalking Fortune, who was bouncing lightly on his feet. About a minute in, Fortune exploded forward with an easy takedown, trapping Tybura against the cage and landing several solid shots. Tybura managed to turn to his knees and attempted to use the cage to stand, but Fortune caught him with a big right hand as he rose. Tybura struggled to secure his back against the cage but did land some short knees and elbows. The fighters separated with a minute remaining, though little action followed.

Round two opened with a heavy exchange, with Tybura pressing forward and throwing volume strikes. Fortune appeared to be conserving energy, remaining low volume and selective, landing one powerful shot at a time. Tybura managed a straight left, which Fortune absorbed without issue. In the final minute, Tybura landed a body kick while Fortune connected with two clean straight rights. It was a stronger round for Tybura, as Fortune’s measured pace kept the fight closer than it perhaps should have been.

The final round began with both men tying up early. Fortune absorbed several hooks to the body while failing to make much impact against the cage. Tybura, though not landing anything particularly decisive, stayed active with forward pressure. His aggression led to a duck-under takedown attempt from Fortune, which Tybura immediately escaped, rising to his feet despite taking a few shots. Tybura continued pressing against the cage, landing some decent strikes to close out the fight.

Overall, it was a slow-paced affair where both fighters struggled to find a rhythm against each other. Tybura’s activity and forward pressure contrasted with Fortune’s selective striking, resulting in a tactical, if unspectacular, matchup.

Come the judges scorecards, Tybura was announced the winner, with Fortune exiting the octagon. Then, in an embarrassing moment for all involved, Fortune was called back into the cage, with announcer Bruce Buffer apologizing and re-reading the result, with Tyrell Fortune earning the decision win. Tyrbua took the mishap gracefully, and Fortune will no doubt never forget how his first UFC win was announced.

Having stepped into the fight on two weeks’ notice, that’s a significant victory for Fortune, who will almost certainly be ranked next week.

Official Result: Tyrell Fortune def. Marcin Tybura by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

The post UFC Seattle: Wrong Winner Announced, but Tyrell Fortune Beats Marcin Tybura appeared first on Cageside Press.

Heavyweight Walker (15-1), who has won his last four bouts inside the octagon via heel hook submission, will take on veteran Marcin Tybura (27-10) at the event, set for the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington on March 28, 2026.

News of the booking was first reported by MMA Mania.

Walker, known as “The Clean Monster,” may want to rebrand himself the “Heel Monster.” He holds the record for both consecutive heel hook submissions and overall submissions of that type (tied with Rousimar Phalares) in the UFC, which has earned him a step up in competition in the form of Tybura.

Ranked #10 in the weight class per the UFC’s official rankings (Valter Walker himself is at #14), Tybura is 2-2 in his last four bouts and coming off a loss to Ante Delija. The Polish star, a former M-1 heavyweight champ, will hit a decade with the UFC as of April, and has shared the octagon with some of the best, including Fabricio Werdum, Andre Arlovski, Derrick Lewis, Alexander Volkov, and current UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall.

UFC Seattle does not yet have a main event officially announced, but the following match-ups are attached to the card:

• Alexa Grasso vs. Maycee Barber
• Valter Walker vs. Marcin Tybura
• Casey O’Neill vs. Gabriella Fernandes
• Nicolle Caliari vs. Caroline Foro
• Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Yousri Belgaroui

The post Heel Hook Incoming? Valter Walker Draws Marcin Tybura at UFC Seattle appeared first on Cageside Press.

Getting a name like Tybura was an indicator of how highly the UFC regarded Delija. The other tell? The promotion had tried to sign him once before, only for the PFL to retain his services instead.

Before long on Saturday, Delija had lived up to his nickname, proving that he was “Walking Trouble,” at the very least for Marcin Tybura. Delija came out blistering, immediately marching Tybura down with a heavy combination that forced him to shell up. Tybura managed to turn the momentum briefly by pressing Delija against the cage and shooting in deep for a takedown, but Delija’s defense held strong.

Once they returned to open space, Delija connected with a sharp shovel left hand and unleashed another barrage, sealing an impressive UFC debut victory. The fight took just over two minutes, and Delija was clearly emotional afterwards, falling to his knees.

In his post-fight interview, the Croatian heavyweight spoke to coming back from an Anderson Silva-style broken leg to make it to the UFC, and thanks everyone from his team to the promotion to UFC heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall, who was in attendance at the Accor Arena.

Official Result: Ante Delija def. Marcin Tybura by TKO (punches), Round 1, 2:03

The post UFC Paris: Ante Delija Proves He’s “Walking Trouble” for Marcin Tybura appeared first on Cageside Press.

Croatia’s Delija (25-6) went to the finals of the PFL heavyweight season in 2021, and won the heavyweight title the following year, picking up four wins including one over Renan Ferreira to do so. He’s now set to make his octagon debut at UFC Paris on September 6, 2025, taking on Marcin Tybura (27-9).

Eurosport was first to report news of the booking.

It’s not the first time that Ante Delija has attempted to jump to the UFC. The heavyweight was announced for a show on “Fight Island” in October of 2020, only to have what would have been his UFC debut cancelled as he remained under contract with the PFL. It seems to have worked out well enough in the end, given his 2022 run earned him a million dollars U.S.

Still, the UFC has clearly been a coveted destination for Delija, who holds wins over former UFC heavyweight champ Ricco Rodriguez, as well as UFC vets Yorgan de Castro, Maurice Greene, and Oli Thompson, among others.

The fight is also a rematch, as Delija faced Tybura for the M-1 Global heavyweight title in 2015, losing due to a leg injury.

Poland’s Tybura has earned wins in his last two fights, notching victories over Mick Parkin and Jhonata Diniz. He currently sits at #7 in the UFC’s admittedly thin heavyweight division.

UFC Paris at the Accor Arena is headlined by Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho, and features the following reported bouts:

• Nassourdine Imavov vs. Caio Borralho
• Andreas Gustafsson vs. Rinat Fakhretdinov
• Bolaji Oki vs. Mason Jones
• Kennedy Freeman vs. Yuneisy Duben
• Shauna Bannon vs. Sam Hughes
• Marcin Tybura vs. Ante Delija

The post PFL Champ Ante Delija Finally Set for Octagon Debut at UFC Paris appeared first on Cageside Press.

The Polish heavyweight is hoping to remain on the roster and continue to climb the rankings.

“Today my contract with the UFC ended, that was my last fight, so right now I’ll be hoping (to) get a new one,” Tybura told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“This fight was about (proving) that I still belong in the top 10.”

Tybura (27-9) holds a 14-8 record in his run with the UFC, and 3-2 in his last fight bouts. His losses came at the hands of Serghei Spivac and current interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall.

His last two opponents were up-and-comers Parkin and Jhonata Diniz who are good fighters, but won’t help Tybura continue his rise. He hopes for someone with a number higher than his next.

“Two (wins) in a row, very talented opponents, so anyone (next). I feel like UFC (is) taking care of me just today I (fought) someone lower (ranked), last time too, and (I’ve) earned someone (ranked higher) than me,” he said.

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Marcin Tybura above.

The post Marcin Tybura Reveals Parkin Fight Was Last On UFC Contract appeared first on Cageside Press.

Parkin had been a bright spot in his short UFC run, earning four straight wins since graduating from the Contender Series in 2022, and boasting a 10-0 record. His first fight of 2025 saw him get a step up in competition against “Tybur,” and while Parkin unsurprisingly held his own in early striking exchanges, he also had to contend with the grappling of Tybura. Mid-round, Tybura appeared to have a bodylock in place, clamping his wrists together while standing behind Parkin, but the takedown failed to materialize, and Parkin went back to slowly walking his opponent down, firing his right hand and mixing in a left.

At the very end of the round, it was Tybura landing a takedown, though Parkin’s corner believed it remained his round. Still, it was a rather close one.

In round two, it was Mick Parkin getting in the driver’s set when the fight went to the ground. On top, he landed some smashing ground n’ pound, hammer fists flying like Donkey Kong. Somehow, Tybura survived, and even briefly attempted to snatch a leg. Parkin was too crafty for that, though the Polish heavyweight would escape to his feet shortly thereafter, with a little over 90 seconds still on the clock.

Heading into the third round, Marcin Tybura was in need of, if not a finish, at least a change in approach, after being dominated for a good chunk of the second. Tybura looked tired though, a punch to the midsection looking particularly laboured with over three minutes remaining in the fight. Parkin landed his best strike of the round a minute or so later, a right hand that halted Tybura in his tracks for just a moment. He would recover, and hold on to the bell, with the #8-ranked Marcin Tybura doing just enough to secure another close round. That gave him the edge on all three scorecards, despite #13-ranked Parkin having the most dominant round overall in the second.

Official Result: Marcin Tybura def. Mick Parkin by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

The post UFC London: Marcin Tybura Becomes First to Defeat Mick Parkin appeared first on Cageside Press.

The Polish heavyweight turns 40-years old later this year, but he’s going harder than ever. His bout at UFC London on Saturday will mark his fourth in just a whisker over a full calendar year. That fact doesn’t even faze him.

“I actually don’t know. I didn’t realize it was just 12 months separating these four fights. But you know, I just take the opportunity in life,” Tybura said. “That’s how it comes. They offer me a fight, so I fight. The crazy thing was about the last fight that I took in like two weeks notice. This one was, I knew in advance, so it was less crazy.”

Part of that is always wanting to fight. Knowing that he may not have infinite time or may not know when the next offer will show up. However, some of it is also an appreciation for what the organization had done for him in years prior and knowing that he now needs to do that job.

“For me, my thing is like, whenever UFC offer me a fight, I just take it. I’ve been in my whole career that whoever I was offered, I was taking the fight. I was always agree,” he explained. “I’m sure UFC taking care of me too. I had the opportunity to fight with the bigger names,  higher ranked opponents. Sometimes I managed to win, sometimes I lose. Sometimes you get something and sometimes you have to be the one who is opportunity for upper comer. And this is it for me – I just feel it’s part of my job.”

That next chance for an up and comer comes this Saturday at UFC London. Mick Parkin brings his 4-0 record into the bout and Tybura is ready for all the (relative) youngster brings.

“I feel like he’s a good kickboxer and he’s a very good cardio. I think he might not show lots of wrestling and grappling skills, but he trains with very good guys and I’m pretty sure he develops a lot. So I see his striking biggest weapon, but I think he’s a complete fighter,” Tybura said. “I see myself a complete fighter too. So we’ll see how he’s going to play out. I’m just focusing on building my skills in every aspect, whoever I’m fighting.”

You can catch Tybura’s fight with Mick Parkin as part of the UFC London prelims. That portion of the fight card begins at noon EST and airs on ESPN+.

You can also hear all of the audio of this interview on the latest edition of the Top Turtle MMA Podcast. The interview begins at 1:53. 

The post UFC London’s Marcin Tybura: “They Offer Me a Fight, So I Fight” appeared first on Cageside Press.

Kicking off this UFC London edition of TTP is our interview with UFC heavyweight, Marcin Tybura. Tybura discusses picking up a win over a hot prospect in Jhonata Diniz last time out. Now he looks to repeat the feat with a contest against undefeated Mick Parkin at UFC London. He shares his thoughts on that matchup and gives us a bit of a prediction. Plus, he talks about how despite being nearly 40-years old, there’s no slowing down for the Polish heavyweight. Why is that the case? Maybe even he doesn’t know.

Fights, Dogs, and Parlays: UFC London (15:16)

Following a very action packed UFC Vegas 104, the UFC heads back on the road. This time they head oversees for UFC London. Headlining this card is a welterweight bout with serious title implications. Leon Edwards looks to take a step back towards the title he once had. Meanwhile, Sean Brady (who is stepping in for Jack Della Maddalena), looks to spoils those plans and book a title fight of his own. The co-main also has title implications, as Jan Blachowicz looks to do the same as Edwards as he holds off upstart Carlos Ulberg. We’ll break down those fights as well as some of our other favorite fights on the main card. Plus, as always, we’re hitting you with an underdog and a plus-money parlay that we think will make your wallet fat this weekend. For this segment, all odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Chris Duncan Interview (23:17)

Closing out this UFC London edition of TTP is our interview with UFC lightweight, Chris Duncan. Duncan discusses getting to fight in the UK yet again, but this time not necessarily being the crowd favorite. He takes on British fighter Jordan Vucenic in a lightweight showdown. He shares his thoughts on the fight and gives us a rundown of his hopes for the year.

The post TTP Ep. 472 with Marcin Tybura, Chris Duncan, and UFC London appeared first on Cageside Press.

The UFC announced the bouts on Tuesday.

Blachowicz (29-10) returns to action after more than a year away from the octagon. His last outing was a split-decision loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 291 in Salt Lake City, UT in 2023. The decision was debated after as many believed Blachowicz had done enough to come out victorious.

He had been scheduled to face Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 297 in Canada, but a shoulder injury took him out of the fight.

Ulberg (11-1) comes off a successful trip to Macau where he took a decision victory over Volkan Oezdemir. ‘Black Jag’ holds victories over Alonzo Menifield, Da Woon Jung, Ihor Potieria, and Oezdemir to name a few.

Also announced for UFC London is a heavyweight bout between Marcin Tybura and the Mick Parkin.

Tybura (26-9) comes off a doctor stoppage victory over Jhonata Diniz. He holds victories over Tai Tuivasa, Blagoy Ivanov, Greg Hardy and Ben Rothwell among his 13 UFC wins.

Parkin (10-0) continues his undefeated run having won 4 straight in the UFC after a successful Dana White’s Contender Series fight. He holds wins over Jamal Pogues, Caio Machado, Mohammed Usman and Lukasz Brzeski.

UFC London takes place on on March 22 at The 02 Arena. Bouts announced for the card include:

• Jan Blachowicz vs. Carlos Ulberg
• Marcin Tybura vs. Mick Parkin
• Shauna Bannon vs. Puja Tomar
• Andrey Pulyaev vs. Christial Leroy Duncan

The post Jan Blachowicz Returns At UFC London, Tybura vs Parkin Added appeared first on Cageside Press.