Skip to content
The Fight Brief

Yousri Belgaroui vs. Djorden Santos

Noche UFC · September 12, 2026 · Desert Diamond Arena · Prelims 2:00 PM ET

The brief

What kind of fight
Kickboxer vs. Short-Notice Finisher
Finish likelihood
Medium
The line
Belgaroui -700 · Santos +600Consensus (multiple sportsbooks)
The stakes
Middleweight · Prelims

The read

Belgaroui's kickboxing pedigree should give him the edge at range, but Santos has finished the majority of his career wins and is live in any exchange.

A finish is possible for either man.

The matchup

Yousri Belgaroui
Kickboxing Finisher
Former Glory kickboxing title challenger · High finish rate · Faces late replacement
GrapplingStriking
Djorden Santos
Well-Rounded Finisher
Short-notice replacement · High finish rate · UFC veteran
GrapplingStriking

A former kickboxing title challenger meets a short-notice replacement stepping in for an injured Kelvin Gastelum.

Belgaroui's finishing rate on the feet is the clear threat, while Santos brings finishing instincts of his own despite the compressed camp.

Tale of the tape

10-3Record11-3
34Age28
6'5"Height6'0"
79"Reach75.5"
Stance
NetherlandsCountryBrazil
Teixeira MMA & FitnessTeam

The numbers

Career UFC averages. Red bar = statistical edge.

Yousri BelgarouiDjorden Santos
Sig. strikes landed / min (volume)
Striking accuracy (precision)
Sig. strikes absorbed / min (lower is better)
Striking defense (strikes avoided)
Takedowns / 15 min (wrestling offense)
Takedown accuracy
Takedown defense
Submission attempts / 15 min

The fighters

Yousri Belgaroui 10-3

Yousri Belgaroui is a Dutch-Tunisian middleweight and former three-time Glory kickboxing title challenger training under Glover Teixeira, with eight of his ten pro wins coming by finish. He most recently stopped Mansur Abdul-Malik in the third round in March 2026 and now faces short-notice replacement Djorden Santos after Kelvin Gastelum withdrew.

How they win
8 KO/TKO0 SUB2 DEC
How they lose
0 KO/TKO0 SUB3 DEC
Last 3 fights
  • WMansur Abdul-Malik · TKO (knee)UFC Fight Night (Seattle) · March 28, 2026

Full Belgaroui profile →

Djorden Santos 11-3

Djorden Santos is a Belo Horizonte-born middleweight stepping in on short notice after Kelvin Gastelum's withdrawal, arriving off a submission loss to Baisangur Susurkaev but with a finish in seven of his eleven career wins.

How they win
3 KO/TKO4 SUB4 DEC
How they lose
0 KO/TKO1 SUB2 DEC
Last 3 fights
  • LBaisangur Susurkaev · SubmissionUFC 328 · May 9, 2026
  • WDanny Barlow · Decision (unanimous)UFC Fight Night · October 18, 2025
  • LOzzy Diaz · Decision (unanimous)UFC 313 · March 8, 2025

Full Santos profile →