Shara Magomedov and Marc-Andre Barriault meet Saturday on the main card of UFC on ABC 9 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
Last event: 2-3
UFC main cards, 2025: 70-53-1
Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-Andre Barriault UFC on ABC 9 preview
Magomedov (15-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) will look to bounce back from the first loss of his professional career, which came by unanimous decision against Michael Page in February. Prior to his first career setback, “Bullet” won his first four UFC fights, including stoppages of Antonio Trocoli and Armen Petrosyan, while earning two Performance of the Night and a Fight of the Night bonus. … Barriault (17-9 MMA, 6-8 UFC) aims to stay in the winners circle as he enters on the heels of a first-round knockout of Bruno Silva. That result in May snapped a three-fight skid, successfully turning the page on what was a very rough 2024 campaign.
Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-Andre Barriault UFC on ABC 9 expert pick, prediction
Filling out the main card is a middleweight attraction between Shara Magomedov and Marc-Andre Barriault.
Despite getting beaten in a lackluster affair his last time out, the glazing of Magomedov is still going strong as far as the betting line is concerned.
Don’t get me wrong: Magomedov has shown some improvements since stepping on the UFC scene and has been reportedly taking training more seriously this time around, so I suppose we should leave some room to be surprised.
That said, Magomedov might not need to improve all that much if he wants to pass this test. Although I’d happily take Barriault over Magomedov if this fight were a few years ago, I’m not sure I can take a chance on the Canadian underdog after he’s lost his once-vaunted durability.
I would love to be wrong here, but the official pick is Magomedov by knockout in Round 1.
Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-Andre Barriault UFC on ABC 9 odds
The oddsmakers and the public heavily favor the hyped product, listing Magomedov -600 and Barriault +425 via FanDuel.
Shara Magomedov vs. Marc-Andre Barriault UFC on ABC 9 start time, how to watch
Magomedov and Barriault are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 4:10 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts live on ABC and streams on ESPN+.
