AMMAN: Jordan is preparing to host a major international mixed martial arts championship at one of its most iconic historical landmarks, as DF UNCAGED takes place on Oct. 30, 2026, inside the nearly 2,000-year-old Roman Theatre in Amman.
Bringing together professional fighters from 16 nations across 14 international bouts, the event will transform the ancient Roman venue into a spectacular setting for world-class combat sports, presenting Jordan’s rich cultural heritage to regional and international audiences.
The championship will serve as the centerpiece of Jordan MMA Week, a six-day sporting initiative combining international athletic competition with activities at some of the kingdom’s most celebrated cultural and tourism destinations, including the Amman Citadel, the Dead Sea and the historic Odeon Theatre.
DF UNCAGED marks the return of Jordanian MMA pioneers Zaid and Mohammad Mirza, who established Desert Force in Amman in 2010, helping to lay the foundations for professional mixed martial arts across the Arab world.
Building on more than 15 years of regional experience, the organizers are introducing a new international sporting platform designed to showcase elite talent while promoting Jordan as a host for major international events.
“When we started in Amman in 2010, the goal was simple; give Arab fighters a professional stage at home,” said DF UNCAGED founder Zaid Mirza. “Jordan MMA Week takes that further. For six days, the world will see the Citadel, the Dead Sea and the Roman Theatre through the eyes of the fight. That is good for MMA, good for Jordan and good for every young athlete in this region who will look at this and know what is possible. This isn’t a comeback. It’s the next chapter.”
The championship will feature prominent international athletes, headlined by former ACA welterweight champion Mukhammad Berkhamov (17-3), who will face American fighter Dante Schiro (13-6) in a 176-pound catchweight contest.
The co-main event will feature former UFC middleweight and The Ultimate Fighter 23 winner Andrew Sanchez (14-9) against Russian veteran Mikhail Ragozin (25-7) in a middleweight bout.
The event will also mark the return of Lebanese MMA star Mohammad Fakhreddine (18-5), a BRAVE CF Hall of Famer and former two-division world champion, who will face Welsh fighter John Martin Fraser (11-6), a veteran of Cage Warriors and UAE Warriors, in a 202-pound catchweight contest.
Four Jordanian athletes will compete on home soil, providing local talent with an opportunity to participate in a major international sporting event.
The international lineup reflects the organizers’ ambition to deliver a high-level championship featuring established professional fighters alongside emerging regional talent.
“We didn’t want a regional show with a few imported names,” said promoter Mohammad Mirza. “We wanted a former ACA champion in the main event, an Ultimate Fighter winner in the co-main, fighters from 16 countries and Arab stars who can stand with any of them. Putting a cage, a live broadcast and a full international production inside a monument that is almost 1,900 years old is the hardest thing we’ve ever done. That’s exactly why we did it.”
Official DF UNCAGED fight card:
Main card
Mukhammad Berkhamov (17-3) vs. Dante Schiro (13-6) — 176-pound catchweight
Andrew Sanchez (14-9) vs. Mikhail Ragozin (25-7) — Middleweight
Faris Al-Raimi vs. Salman Hentous — Bantamweight
Romero Cotton vs. Ezequias Glim — Middleweight
Abdullah Jaweesh vs. Islam Chelouti — Featherweight
Preliminary card
Tamerlan Dulatov vs. Levy Carriel — 176-pound catchweight
Mohammad Fakhreddine (18-5) vs. John Martin Fraser (11-6) — 202-pound catchweight
Kurban Zaynukov vs. Gilson Nogueira — Featherweight
Zafar Rashidov vs. Dawei Zhou — Bantamweight
Kurbanali Zaynukov vs. Catalin Safta — 161-pound catchweight
Ratibor Yaschenko vs. Rui Chen — Bantamweight
Freih Harahsheh vs. Abdel Hafid Bendary — Bantamweight
Zaki Kayyali vs. Abbes Hadded — Featherweight
Yazan Balaawi vs. Issam Azelhad — Middleweight