UFC Fight Night: Daniil Donchenko vs Punahele Soriano Preview & Prediction

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Two surging welterweights meet on the Paris main card, TUF 33 winner Daniil Donchenko puts his unbeaten UFC record on the line against the resurgent Punahele Soriano.

Daniil Donchenko vs Punahele Soriano facts

What time are Daniil Donchenko and Punahele Soriano expected to walk out? 5 September 2026 at 9:15 pm

Where is UFC Fight Night: Hooker vs Parnasse? Accor Arena, Paris, France

Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Hooker vs Parnasse? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 287

What TV channel is UFC Fight Night: Hooker vs Parnasse on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Paramount

Where can I stream UFC Fight Night: Hooker vs Parnasse? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and HBO Max / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass

UFC Fight Night: Hooker vs Parnasse main card

Dan Hooker vs Salahdine Parnasse (Lightweight)

Fares Ziam vs Axel Sola (Lightweight)

Michael Page vs Nursulton Ruziboev (Middleweight)

Daniil Donchenko vs Punahele Soriano (Welterweight)

Kurtis Campbell vs Trevor Peek (Featherweight)

Losene Keita vs Muhammad Naimov (Featherweight)

UFC Fight Night: Hooker vs Parnasse prelims

Morgan Charriere vs Felipe Lima (Featherweight)

Mario Pinto vs Ryan Spann (Heavyweight)

Oumar Sy vs Modestas Bukauskas (Light Heavyweight)

Nathaniel Wood vs Pavel Andrusca (Featherweight)

Michael Aljarouj vs Fabia Sintes (Flyweight)

Nora Cornolle vs Klaudia Sygula (Women's Bantamweight)

Matthieu Letho Duclos vs Luis Felipe Dias (Middleweight)

Delphine Benouaich vs Sofia Montenegro (Women's Strawweight)

Daniil Donchenko: The Ukrainian asked for Paris and got it

Daniil Donchenko (14-2) is 3-0 in the promotion and on a lengthy winning run, having taken TUF 33 with a first-round stoppage of Rodrigo Sezinando, outworked the veteran Alex Morono over three rounds, then head-kicked Theodor Berggren for a Performance of the Night bonus in Baku. The 25-year-old is a Muay Thai man first, and he fights at a punishing pace behind heavy low kicks while countering well in the boxing exchanges. He rips to the body nicely, shows good head movement, and lands sharp elbows and knees in the clinch, though that pace can drop off.

Punahele Soriano: Career revived since dropping to welterweight

Punahele Soriano (13-4) has completely reinvented himself since moving down to 170, going 4-0 in the division with wins over Miguel Baeza, Uros Medic, Nikolay Veretennikov and Ramiz Brahimaj. The 31 second demolition of Medic is the standout, a genuinely impressive win given what Medic has done since. The 33-year-old is a former wrestler with a judo background and it shows, he’s the better grappler here, strong in the clinch with trips available and heavy ground and pound from the top. He’s the lower volume man but throws with more thud and a dangerous straight right.

Daniil Donchenko vs Punahele Soriano prediction

The body kick should be there for Donchenko all night. Soriano has been folded by one before, Roman Kopylov stopped him with it back at middleweight, and Brahimaj went to the same target repeatedly in the opening round earlier this year. Against a fighter with Donchenko’s kick arsenal, expect that lane to be exploited.

The early going should belong to the Ukrainian. His pace, volume and low kicks are a real problem for a lower-output opponent, and if Soriano elects to stand and strike at range, Donchenko can put a beating on him inside the first two rounds. The clinch favours him too, Soriano is strong there but nowhere near as active with the clinch striking.

The longer this fight goes, the more it could swing back the other way. Soriano is the better grappler, and if he works the takedowns early and gets into dominant position, he can bank rounds with ground and pound whilst draining Donchenko’s gas tank. He’ll probably also land the right hand at some point, and the question is whether Donchenko’s chin holds up against power he likely hasn’t faced before. He looks to have a decent one but Soriano hits hard. I don’t agree with Donchenko being as big of a favourite as he is, but he should still get this done.

Prediction: Daniil Donchenko to win