Top Five UFC Fights To Look Forward To In September

Nassourdine Imavov v Caio Borralho

When: Saturday, September 6, SA time

The main event of UFC Paris at Accor Arena is a cracker with middleweight title implications.

These two are among the top four rising stars at 185 pounds set to fight it out for a title shot against new champion Khamzat Chimaev.

Style points could be crucial in determining whether the winner of this one, or the victor of the UFC Vancouver headliner between Reinier de Ridder and Anthony Hernandez in October, earns the first crack at the new king, so expect Imavov and Borralho to be at their best.

France’s own Imavov has won four straight, including a knockout win over former two-time champion Israel Adesanya at UFC Saudi Arabia. As for Borralho, the Brazilian remains unbeaten inside the Octagon after graduating from Dana White’s Contender Series in late 2021.

Benoit Saint Denis v Mauricio Ruffy

When: Saturday, September 6, SA time

The judges won’t be needed in what promises to be a chaotic co-headliner in Paris. These are two of the most lethal lightweights around and members of the 155-pound top 15, so expect skilled savagery when they square off.

Local favourite Saint Denis will want to erase the memories of last year’s card in the French capital, which saw him lose the main event to Renato Moicano by stoppage. “God of War” bounced back from that bitter defeat with a submission win over Kyle Prepolec in May to keep his 100% finish rate intact, and will be out for blood on home soil.

Ruffy is red hot, having strung together seven wins in a row, three of which were inside the Octagon. Flashy and unpredictable, “One Shot” has claimed all but one of his 11 pro wins by knockout and is coming off a KO of the Year contender against King Green in March.  

Diego Lopes v Jean Silva

When: Sunday, September 14, SA time

In another showdown with possible title stakes, elite featherweights will go to war in the main event of Noche UFC at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.

Lopes had won five on the trot to secure a shot at the vacant 145-pound belt against Alexander Volkanovski in April, but fell short against the consensus divisional GOAT. Having dusted himself off, the dangerous 30-year-old is out to re-establish himself as the top contender.

Silva has taken the division by storm, stacking one sensational showing on top of the other since joining the mixed martial arts leader in 2024. “Lord” remains undefeated in the UFC after five straight wins in the Octagon, all by finish. Triumph here, and he could earn himself a future championship opportunity.

Rob Font v Raul Rosas Jr

When: Sunday, September 14, SA time

The co-featured bout of the Mexican Independence Day weekend card is a classic veteran versus budding prospect matchup.

Font is a seasoned striker with heaps of UFC experience. This will be the second straight surging prospect the 38-year-old faces after he edged Jean Matsumoto by split decision at UFC Seattle. Before that, he upset Kyler Phillips, so he knows how to play spoiler.

Mexico’s Rosas Jr will feel the love of the crowd in what is the biggest fight of his career. The 20-year-old has competed at every Noche UFC event and won every time. A prodigious grappler, he’s on a four-fight win streak and gets his wish of fighting for a spot in the bantamweight top 10 in San Antonio.

Carlos Ulberg v Dominick Reyes

When: Sunday, September 28, SA time

September’s mixed martial arts action wraps up Down Under, with title-hunting light heavyweights trading leather in UFC Perth’s marquee clash at the RAC Arena.

New Zealand’s Ulberg is on a remarkable run of eight consecutive wins and most recently defeated former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz by decision in May. “Black Jag” will have the crowd behind him and is determined to move another step closer to a title shot.

He faces resurgent American veteran Reyes, who’s riding a three-fight win streak (all by knockout). “The Devastator” has come agonisingly close to capturing UFC gold twice, losing championship bouts to the great Jon Jones and Blachowicz back in 2020, and is hell-bent on continuing his climb back to the top by taking out Ulberg.