MMA Match Preview: Azamat Bekoev (20-3) vs. Yousri Belgaroui (8-3)

Venue & Fight Details

Event: UFC Fight Night: de Ridder vs. Allen

Bout: Azamat Bekoev vs. Yousri Belgaroui – Middleweight (185 lbs), 3 rounds

Location: Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Time: Main Card (approx. 9:00 p.m. ET start)

Broadcast: ESPN+ / UFC Fight Pass

Fighter Records & Recent Form

Azamat Bekoev (“Iron”) – 20-3-0, Russia: Riding a two-fight first-round knockout streak, including a devastating KO of Ryan Loder. Known for explosive power and aggressive forward pressure.

Yousri Belgaroui – 8-3-0, Netherlands: A decorated kickboxer making his UFC debut. Former GLORY Kickboxing standout who has shared the ring with legends like Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira. Brings elite striking technique and reach advantage.

Recent Form (last 5 fights):

Bekoev: W–W–L–W–W

Belgaroui: W–L–W–W–L

Injury Report

Both fighters enter with no reported injuries and full training camps completed.

Key Matchups

Striking: Bekoev relies on raw knockout power, while Belgaroui uses precision kickboxing, long-range jabs, and leg kicks.

Grappling: Bekoev has limited but serviceable wrestling; Belgaroui is largely untested on the ground, making takedown defense a key factor.

Durability: Bekoev has been stopped once in his career, while Belgaroui has shown toughness against world-class strikers.

Series History

First-ever meeting between Bekoev and Belgaroui.

Bekoev is 2-0 in his last two fights under the UFC banner.

Belgaroui is making his UFC debut after transitioning from kickboxing.

Betting Trends

Bekoev has finished 4 of his last 5 wins inside the first two rounds.

Belgaroui has gone the distance in only 2 of his 11 career fights.

Middleweight fights historically finish inside the distance 58% of the time.

FIGHT ODDS

Azamat Bekoev                 – 160

Yousri Belgaroui               + 135

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, October 17, 2025