Bautista vs. Oliveira Set to Headline First UFC Apex Event of 2026
Ranked Bantamweight Matchup Headlines First Apex Fight Night of 2026
The first UFC Fight Night of the new year at the Apex will be headlined by a ranked bantamweight showdown between two top-15 contenders.
Set for February 7th in Las Vegas, the main event will see No. 9-ranked Mario Bautista square off against No. 12 Vinicius “Lok Dog” Oliveira.
Bautista will be looking to start a new run after his eight-fight winning streak was snapped by Umar Nurmagomedov, who controlled the fight with his wrestling. That streak included sending Jose Aldo into retirement with a loss and spoiling the highly anticipated promotional debut of Patchy Mix.
Oliveira enters the bout riding a six-fight winning streak. Known for his hands-down, marching-forward style, he has become a dangerously entertaining presence in the bantamweight division. While his approach may be technically inadvisable, the Brazilian has proven over his last three fights that it can be effective against high-level competition.
The co-main event at Flyweight will see No. 5 Amir Albazi against former Rizin champion, No. 8 Kyoji Horiguchi.
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