Amru Magomedov vs. Alex da Silva for vacant lightweight title headlines UAE Warriors 44

A new lightweight champion will be crowned at UAE Warriors 44.

With lightweight champion Bruno Machado retiring, Amru Magomedov (6-0) takes on Alex Da Silva (22-5) for the vacant title in the main event on Aug. 26 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Promotion officials informed MMA Junkie of the booking Thursday.

UAE Warriors 44 will be part of a doubleheader at Etihad Arena, with UAE Warriors 43: Arabia taking place on Aug. 25. Both events will stream on UFC Fight Pass.

Magomedov, a training partner of former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, Bellator lightweight champ Usman Nurmagomedov, and UFC lightweight champ Islam Makhachev, is coming off a first-round submission of then-unbeaten Renan Oliveira at UAE Warriors 42 in May.

Da Silva, a former UFC fighter, has split his first two appearances with UAE Warriors since he parted ways with the UFC. After a close decision loss to Makkasharip Zaynukov in March, the Brazilian rebounded with a third-round TKO of Ali Mashrapov at UAE Warriors 42.