On a December night in Riyadh, a path that began on the battlefields of Ukraine and carried through the Bellator ranks reaches another crossroads. Yaroslav Amosov, a former welterweight champion with a long, nearly unbroken record, will face Ian Machado Garry, a contender still carrying the weight of a recent title defeat. The fight, set for five rounds as the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 295, is less a single contest than a question about how far a newcomer's rise can reach among the division's established names. It is a reminder that a career is measured not only in wins but in the willi
Yaroslav Amosov Faces Ian Machado Garry in Five-Round UFC Saudi Arabia Co-Main Event
Amosov is officially in the deep end of the welterweight division.
Mark
Why is this fight a big deal for Amosov?
Mimi
He's only 2-0 in the UFC, and now he's facing a former title challenger over five rounds. It's a real step up from Magny and Alvarez.
Mark
And Garry? What's he coming in with?
Mimi
A unanimous decision loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 330 in August. Before that he'd beaten Carlos Prates and Belal Muhammad back to back.
Luke
Let's be careful with 'breakthrough.' That's the framing of the report. The fight itself doesn't prove anything yet.
Mark
Fair. What do we actually know about Amosov's background?
Mimi
He's a Ukrainian military veteran, he went 8-1 at Bellator, and he won welterweight gold there. His one loss was to Jason Jackson in November 2023.
Luke
The report says he fought for his country against Russia. It doesn't give details of that, so I wouldn't read more into it than that.
Mark
Is the card settled?
Mimi
It's listed as current, with Adesanya vs. Magomedov on top. Cards shift.
Luke
Right. Nothing here says how the bout will go or who's favored. No odds are given, so any prediction is just that.
Le Pouls
- A newcomer with only two UFC wins is stepping straight into a ranked contender's territory.
- Garry arrives bruised from a unanimous decision loss to Islam Makhachev, and he needs a convincing answer.
- Five rounds give Amosov room to prove his undefeated-in-the-UFC start is no fluke, and room for Garry to rebuild.
- The bout is set for Riyadh on Dec. 5, but the card could still shift before the bell rings.
On a December night in Riyadh, a path that began on the battlefields of Ukraine and carried through the Bellator ranks reaches another crossroads. Yaroslav Amosov, a former welterweight champion with a long, nearly unbroken record, will face Ian Machado Garry, a contender still carrying the weight of a recent title defeat. The fight, set for five rounds as the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 295, is less a single contest than a question about how far a newcomer's rise can reach among the division's established names. It is a reminder that a career is measured not only in wins but in the willingness to step into harder rooms.
The UFC's Fight Night 295 card, set for Dec. 5 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was announced during Saturday's broadcast. Its co-main event pits welterweight Yaroslav Amosov against Ian Machado Garry over five rounds.
Amosov, 33, arrives with a 30-1 mixed martial arts record and a Bellator welterweight title earned during an 8-1 run. He is also a Ukrainian military veteran who fought for his country against Russia before returning to competition. His only professional loss came in 2023 to Jason Jackson. Since signing with the UFC in 2025, he has won both of his bouts, beating Neil Magny and Joel Alvarez.
Garry, 28, is 17-2 overall and 10-2 in the UFC. He has been out since August, when he lost a unanimous decision to champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 330. That title shot followed wins over Carlos Prates and Belal Muhammad, so he returns as a ranked contender still processing a defeat at the top of the division.
The five-round format favors both men. It lets Amosov show what he can do against a high-level opponent, and it gives Garry a longer stage to rebuild. The matchup is framed as Amosov's chance to break through against a proven name. The card is still subject to change, but the central question is clear: whether the newcomer can meet a contender's challenge on the biggest stage the division offers.
During Saturday's UFC Fight Night 293 broadcast, the promotion announced the card for UFC Fight Night 295, set for Dec. 5 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In the co-main event, Yaroslav Amosov will meet Ian Machado Garry in a welterweight bout scheduled for five rounds.
Amosov, 33, is a former Bellator welterweight champion with a record of 30-1 in mixed martial arts and 2-0 in the UFC. He signed with the promotion in 2025 and has won both of his fights since, beating Neil Magny and Joel Alvarez. The source describes the run as dazzling, and the step up now is considerable: Garry is a former UFC title challenger.
Amosov is also a Ukrainian military veteran. He came to wide notice during an 8-1 stretch with Bellator, in which he fought on behalf of his country against Russia and won the welterweight title. His only professional loss came in November 2023, an upset defeat to Jason Jackson.
Garry, 28, is 17-2 overall and 10-2 in the UFC. He has not fought since August, when he challenged champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 330 and lost a unanimous decision. That title shot followed back-to-back wins over Carlos Prates and Belal Muhammad, so he arrives in Riyadh as a ranked contender coming off a loss at the very top of the division.
The five-round format matters for both men. It gives Amosov more time to show what he can do against a high-level opponent, and it gives Garry a longer fight in which to rebuild after the Makhachev defeat. The source frames the matchup as Amosov's chance to break through, placing him in the deep end of the welterweight division.
The co-main event sits beneath a headliner of Israel Adesanya against Shara Magomedov. The rest of the card as currently listed includes Mario Pinto vs. Serghei Spivac, Levan Chokheli vs. Islam Dulatov, Akbar Abdullaev vs. Mairon Santos, Ion Cutelaba vs. Magomed Tuchalov, Jafel Filho vs. Bruno Silva, Matthieu Duclos vs. Modestino Rodrigues, Abdul Hussein vs. Hecher Sosa, Ivan Gnizditskiy vs. Uran Satybaldiev, JunYong Park vs. Marco Tulio, and Pavel Andrusca vs. Mahammadali Osmanli.
The card is described as current, so the lineup could still change before Dec. 5. What to watch is how Amosov, with only two UFC fights behind him, handles his first test against a fighter who has recently shared the cage with the champion.
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