Albert Tumenov will seek to continue hot post-UFC run at ACA 181 in November

UFC veteran Albert Tumenov is set for his first fight of 2024.

On November 2 at ACA 181 in Saint Petersburg, Russia, ACA welterweight champion Tumenov (23-5) returns to action to face former champ Abubakar Vagaev in the finals of the ACA welterweight grand prix. The fight will be five rounds with Tumenov’s title on the line. The promotion officially announced the fight on social media Thursday.

Since exiting the UFC in 2016, Tumenov hasn’t lost in combat sports. His eight-fight UFC run ended after back-to-back submission losses to Gunner Nelson and Leon Edwards, but he has since won nine straight fights: eight in MMA and one custom rules bout.

Tumenov’s last outing was at ACA 168 in December, where he stopped Ustarmagomed Gadzhidaudov in Round 5 to win the ACA welterweight title . His first fight of 2024 will come against a former champ who has won two straight.

Vagaev (23-4) will enter on the heels of back-to-back unanimous decision wins over UFC veteran Michel Prazeres and Edil Esenguglov. The 31-year-old Russian is 7-1 under the ACA banner, and once held the ACA welterweight title in 2022.