PFL Champ Ante Delija Finally Set for Octagon Debut at UFC Paris
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Ante Delija is finally headed to the UFC.
Croatia’s Delija (25-6) went to the finals of the PFL heavyweight season in 2021, and won the heavyweight title the following year, picking up four wins including one over Renan Ferreira to do so. He’s now set to make his octagon debut at UFC Paris on September 6, 2025, taking on Marcin Tybura (27-9).
Eurosport was first to report news of the booking.
It’s not the first time that Ante Delija has attempted to jump to the UFC. The heavyweight was announced for a show on “Fight Island” in October of 2020, only to have what would have been his UFC debut cancelled as he remained under contract with the PFL. It seems to have worked out well enough in the end, given his 2022 run earned him a million dollars U.S.
Still, the UFC has clearly been a coveted destination for Delija, who holds wins over former UFC heavyweight champ Ricco Rodriguez, as well as UFC vets Yorgan de Castro, Maurice Greene, and Oli Thompson, among others.
The fight is also a rematch, as Delija faced Tybura for the M-1 Global heavyweight title in 2015, losing due to a leg injury.
Poland’s Tybura has earned wins in his last two fights, notching victories over Mick Parkin and Jhonata Diniz. He currently sits at #7 in the UFC’s admittedly thin heavyweight division.
UFC Paris at the Accor Arena is headlined by Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho, and features the following reported bouts:
- Nassourdine Imavov vs. Caio Borralho
- Andreas Gustafsson vs. Rinat Fakhretdinov
- Bolaji Oki vs. Mason Jones
- Kennedy Freeman vs. Yuneisy Duben
- Shauna Bannon vs. Sam Hughes
- Marcin Tybura vs. Ante Delija
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