The heavyweight division was already targeted for being in rough shape, but that shape somehow seemed to get worse if the bout between Hamdy Abdelwahab and Chris Barnett on the UFC 321 preliminary card was anything to go by.
Abdelwahab pressured Barnett to the fence almost right away and scored a takedown. He landed some strong strikes while Barnett got to his feet, only to be taken down again multiple times. Abdelwahab, however, lost a point during the first round for landing strikes to the back of Barnett’s head.
The bout was ultimately a one-sided domination. Abdelwahab completely overwhelmed Barnett with pressure and wrestling, as Barnett offered up little defense. The bout was overall sloppy and poked fun of at fans, with Abdelwahab getting an easy decision victory.
Hamdy Abdelwahab Decisions Chris Barnett At UFC 321
Never understood why an organization that notoriously hates anything fun signed Barnett instead of letting him go fight Sumo wrestlers and Japanese TV personalities on NYE at the Saitama Super Arena.
Abdelwahab, a former Greco-Roman wrestling Olympian, is now 2-0-1 in the UFC, entering this fight off a loss to Mohammed Usman at UFC Baku this past June.
Barnett has now lost three of his last four. He’s only fought once in 2024 and 2025.
Chris Barnett is set to step back into the Octagon.
As per a recent report from MMA journalist Marcel Dorff, Barnett is slated to face Hamdy Abdelwahab in a heavyweight clash at UFC 321, set for October 25 at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
Earlier this week, the MMA promotion officially confirmed that UFC 321 will be headlined by reigning heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, who will make his first undisputed title defense against former title challenger Ciryl Gane. The Abu Dhabi card will also feature another high-stakes heavyweight showdown, as top contenders Alexander Volkov and Jailton Almeida square off in a pivotal clash.
UFC 321 will also showcase a light heavyweight bout between Aleksandar Rakic and undefeated Azamat Murzakanov. In the flyweight division, Azat Maksum takes on Mitch Raposo, while Ikram Aliskerov meets Junyong Park in a middleweight matchup.
Image: @ufc/Instagram
How Do Chris Barnett And Hamdy Abdelwahab Compare On Paper?
Chris Barnett is set to make his return after spending a year on the sidelines. The fan-favorite heavyweight was last seen at UFC 308 in October 2024, where he endured a first-round knockout loss to Kennedy Nzechukwu.
“Beastboy” has been a member of the UFC roster since May 2021, compiling a 2-3 record across five appearances, alternating between wins and losses. His most recent victory came at UFC 279 in September 2022, where he delivered a memorable second-round knockout against Jake Collier. Chris Barnett boasts a professional record of 23-9, with an impressive 18 of those victories coming by way of knockout
Meanwhile, Hamdy Abdelwahab last competed at UFC Baku earlier this month, where he suffered the first defeat of his professional career after dropping a unanimous decision to Mohammed Usman in a hard-fought contest.
“The Hammer” made his promotional debut at UFC 277 in July 2022, where he initially secured a split-decision victory over Don’Tale Mayes. However, the result was later overturned to a no contest after Abdelwahab tested positive twice for the banned anabolic agent methenolone and its metabolites in February 2023. As a result, he was handed a two-year suspension.
The 32-year-old Egyptian earned his most recent victory at UFC Saudi Arabia in February, edging out Jamal Pogues via split decision. Abdelwahab currently holds a professional record of 6-1 with one no contest.
