Yaroslav Amosov, a native of Irpin, will conduct his second fight under the UFC banner: on May 9, 2026, in Newark, New Jersey, he will face Spanish fighter Joel Alvarez (23–3) in the welterweight division. The bout will take place at the UFC 328 tournament at the Prudential Center — on a night when the main event will feature Hamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland in the middleweight division.
The man who hid the belt in the basement
To understand the scale of Amosov's return, it is worth recalling: the 32-year-old fighter is a three-time world champion in combat sambo and a former Bellator champion in the welterweight division. He did not lose his title in the ring — he left combat sports in 2022 to defend his native Irpin from Russian invasion. Upon returning to the liberated city, Amosov found his championship belt in the basement of his parents' house — his mother hid the award there during the bombardments.
He suffered only one defeat throughout his entire career — in November 2023, when he returned from the front and competed for the Bellator title. UFC was brought to him by a victory over Curtis Millender in March 2025. His debut in December 2025 turned out to be convincing: a submission hold over Neil Magny already in the first round — and his contract was extended.
Opponent: stable and dangerous
Alvarez is not a technical sparring partner for warm-up training. The 33-year-old Spaniard has a record of 23–3 and the reputation of a fighter who rarely goes to a judges' decision. Only three losses in his career — an indicator of selective management or real quality. Amosov, with a record of 29–1, needs a convincing victory to claim a place in the UFC welterweight top-15 rankings.
Context: what is really at stake
UFC's welterweight division is one of the most competitive: Belal Muhammad, Shavkat Rakhmonov, Colby Covington remain active. Amosov enters this arena without a loud name within the promotion — only with two fights and impeccable grappling technique.
"A belt with great history. And now I won't give it to anyone"
Yaroslav Amosov — after finding his Bellator title in the basement of liberated Irpin
This phrase, spoken in 2022 about a piece of leather and metal, today sounds like a sports program: Amosov is building his UFC career as if he proved something far greater than victory in the octagon to himself.
If on May 9 he finishes the fight early — as he did against Magny — UFC will have an argument for including him in the official ranking by the end of 2026. If the fight goes to judges' decision, the question about Amosov's real level in the division will remain open for at least one more bout.
