A compelling middleweight clash is scheduled for UFC 318, as contenders Ikram Aliskerov and Brunno Ferreira have agreed to face off. The pay-per-view event is set for July 19 in New Orleans.
The booking was confirmed by sources familiar with the plans.
Ikram Aliskerov (16-2) is coming off an impressive first-round knockout victory over Andre Muniz in April. This quick finish marked his return to the win column after his sole UFC defeat to former champion Robert Whittaker. Aliskerov holds a 3-1 record in the octagon, with all three victories coming via first-round knockout.
Brunno Ferreira (13-2), also known as “Hulk,” possesses a perfect finishing rate in his career, including four wins in the UFC. He gained attention with a first-round stoppage of Gregory Rodrigues in 2023 and also secured quick finishes against Phil Hawes and Dustin Stoltzfus late in the opening round. The 32-year-old Brazilian recently rebounded from a 2024 loss to Abus Magomedov by submitting Armen Petrosyan with an armbar in the second round this past March.
UFC 318 is hosted at the Smoothie King Center. The event is headlined by a highly anticipated “BMF” title fight between Dustin Poirier and Max Holloway, which is expected to be Poirier`s final professional bout.
