UFC Mexico fight week is here. After a tumultuous stretch in recent days in Mexico City, this weekend’s MMA card is a most welcome diversion. Just like last year, Mexico City’s Arena CDMX will serve as the setting for this Saturday’s event.

Live coverage of the final event of February begins in the late afternoon of the month’s final day with the undercard at 5 pm ET/ 2 pm PT on Paramount Plus. Main card action caps the evening at 8 pm ET/ 5 pm PT. If no adjustments need to be made to the card between now and the weekend, 13 fights will take place Saturday evening.

This is only part of a long run of cards on the 2026 UFC schedule. Including UFC Mexico this coming Saturday evening, the UFC will be live with a card every Saturday between now and the weekend of April 18, pending any further additions to the calendar.

UFC Mexico Featured Prelim: Ryan Gandra vs. Jose Daniel Medina

At the top of the bill for the undercard, you’ll be treated to a showdown at middleweight when Ryan Gandra (8-1 MMA, UFC promotional debut) makes his first walk to the fabled Octagon to fight Jose Daniel Medina (11-6 MMA, 0-3 UFC.) All fights mentioned herein are an advertised maximum of three rounds at five minutes per round.

Gandra enters his first appearance under the UFC promotional banner this Saturday night having posted a record of 5-0 in his last five fights. He’s on a seven-fight winning streak dating back to November of 2022.

Last time out, he secured his UFC contract thanks to a first-round knockout (punches) over Trent Miller (9-3 MMA) on the Aug. 26 broadcast of Dana White’s Contender Series on the UFC’s now-former streaming home of ESPN+. At the core, this is a fight between two contestants going in opposite directions.

Ryan Gandra is on a hot streak over the last three years. His opponent, on the other hand, is headed down a different road. Across the way, Jose Daniel Medina comes into UFC Mexico with a mark of 1-4 in his last five appearances.

Back on Sept. 13, he was on the receiving end of a first-round submission (rear-naked choke) from Dusko Todorovic (13-6 MMA, 4-6 UFC.) Although both Medina and his 2023 Contender Series opponent, Magomed Gadzhiyasulov, won contracts by virtue of appearing on the show, the former has yet to win since joining the UFC.

A win in the UFC Mexico featured prelim could be enough for the promotion to keep Jose Daniel Medina on the roster, but will he end up stopping Gandra’s streak? Tune in and find out.

UFC Mexico Co-Featured Prelim: No. 7 Contender Allin Perez vs. No. 8 Contender Macy Chiasson

Immediately beforehand, the women’s bantamweights take to the cage when No. 7 contender Allin Perez (12-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) collides with No. 8 contender Macy Chiasson (10-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC.) Perez enters the weekend undefeated at 5-0 in her last five trips to the Octagon.

She hasn’t fought in over 13 months. On Jan. 18, 2025, she bested Karol Rosa (19-7 MMA, 8-4 UFC) by way of unanimous decision at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, CA at UFC 311 after 15 minutes of action on the evening’s undercard.

The stakes will be high for both Perez and Chiasson at UFC Mexico this Saturday. Can Perez run her winning streak to six after more than a year away?

Meanwhile, Macy Chiasson has gone 2-3 in her past five contests. The No. 8 contender at 135 is a streaky fighter of late, having dropped two consecutive bouts.

Most recently, she was on the wrong end of a unanimous decision against Yana Santos (17-8, 1 NC MMA, 7-5 UFC) back in October. Worse yet, Chiasson exceeded the 136-lb nontitle maximum at the official weigh-ins the morning before the contest, something that Allin Perez took note of ahead of UFC Mexico, vowing not to compete against Chiasson if she misses weight on the scales this coming Friday.

“I saw her, and she looks like she might not make weight,” Perez said. “If she doesn’t make weight, I won’t fight.”

Whether or not this contest takes place remains to be seen, but the Perez camp has done quite a job in putting out bulletin board material ahead of the fight at UFC Mexico.

UFC Mexico: Cristian Quinonez vs. Kris Moutinho

Also on Saturday night’s undercard, bantamweight action happens when Cristian Quinonez (18-5 MMA, 1-2 UFC) squares off against Kris Mouthino (14-7 MMA, 0-3 UFC.) This is the latter’s second fight in his second stint in the UFC. Quinonez will be making the walk on the strength of a 3-2 record in his last five encounters.

Two years ago this week, he took a defeat by way of third-round submission due to rear-naked choke to Raoni Barcelos (21-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) in Mexico City. Quinonez was due to make his UFC return on the night of Nov. 8 inside the now-Meta Apex against Adrian Yanez before the fight was postponed after the former withdrew because of visa problems.

He’s been away from competition for slightly over two years. How much ring rust does he have?

In the other corner, Moutinho comes into UFC Mexico having posted a mark of 4-1 in his last five fights. His UFC return in June of last year ended on a sour note, with Malcolm Wellmaker (10-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) finishing him inside the opening round by way of right hook.

Moutinho has turned it around since his first UFC stint ended. Will he take advantage of Quinonez after the latter’s extended layoff? Only time will tell.

Rest of the Prelims:

The UFC Mexico prelims are rounded out by these fights:

A featherweight contest between Douglas Silva de Andrade (29-6, 1 NC MMA, 7-6 UFC) and Javier Reyes (22-5 MMA, UFC promotional debut,)
a catchweight (130 lbs) fight matching Regina Tarin (7-0 MMA, UFC promotional debut) with Ernesta Kareckaite (6-1-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC,)
a featherweight bout pairing Erik Silva (9-3 MMA, 0-2 UFC) against Francis Marshall (8-3 MMA, 2-3 UFC,)
and a middleweight affair versing Damian Pinas (8-1 MMA, UFC promotional debut) and Wes Schultz (8-2 MMA, UFC promotional debut.)

Which prelims are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments.