Magomed Zaynukov finally books UFC debut after 'John Pork' hype

One of the more anticipated octagon debuts of 2026 will take place at UFC Fight Night 282 when Magomed Zaynukov officially competes under the UFC banner for the first time.

>Zaynukov (10-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), known to some as "Chanco" and to others as "John Pork," will step into the cage after an impressive contract-winning performance on Dana White's Contender Series in October when he takes on fellow unbeaten newcomer Damian Rzepecki (8-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC).

>The lightweight bout will take place on July 25 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi (Paramount+). Two people with knowledge of the booking verified the matchup to MMA Junkie following an initial report from Heavy's Marcel Dorff.

>Zaynukov, 31, is a teammate of UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, who started the viral "John Pork" meme after being misheard in a video. Since his contract win on DWCS, Zaynukov was involved in the infamous cageside brawl with Dillon Danis at UFC 322 in November.

>Rzepecki, meanwhile, gets an outright UFC signing without going through DWCS after amassing nine stoppages in 10 career wins. The 24-year-old from Poland is a nearly five-year pro of the sport and will look to shift the hype in his favor with a big win.

The latest UFC Fight Night 282 lineup now includes:Magomed Ankalaev vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. • >Thomas Petersen vs. Valter Walker • >Rizvan Kuniev vs. Tyrell Fortune • >Ismael Bonfim vs. Axel Sola • >Brendson Ribeiro vs. Magomed Tuchalov • >Steve Erceg vs. Ramazan Temirov • >Dustin Jacoby vs. Uran Satybaldiev • >Magomedrasul Gasanov vs. Abubakar Vagaev • >Islam Dulatov vs. Wellington Turman • >Damian Rzepecki vs. Magomed ZaynukovThis article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Magomed Zaynukov finally books UFC debut after 'John Pork' hype