Edgar Berlanga overcame an early scare to score a statement
victory, while Richardson Hitchins impressed in his welterweight
bout at Zuffa Boxing 9.

Zuffa Boxing graced The Big Apple on July 26, putting on an event
at Infosys Theater in Madison Square Garden.

Zuffa Boxing 9 Results: Edgar Berlanga stops Steven Butler,
Richardson Hitchins wins side

Berlanga rallied following a knockdown to stop Steven Butler via
technical knockout in the seventh round of a super middleweight
bout. Berlanga responded with relentless pressure after being
dropped, gradually breaking Butler down before scoring a knockdown
of his own in Round 6.

In the co-main event, Hitchins turned in a dominant performance,
cruising to a unanimous decision over Ricardo Salas. Using his
superior speed, reach and jab, the New Yorker outboxed Salas from
bell to bell, earning identical 100-90 scores on all three judges’
cards.

Elsewhere on the card, Jalil Hackett earned a unanimous decision
over former world title challenger Sergiy Derevyanchenko in his
middleweight debut, while Vladyslav Sirenko scored a knockout
against Otto Wallin with just one second remaining in their
bout.

Furthermore, Emiliano Moreno outworked Arnold Gonzalez over eight
rounds and Kashaun Davis handed Mihai Nistor the first decision
loss of his career. Troy Nash remained unbeaten in Zuffa Boxing
with a majority decision over Ethan Perez, while Andres Sosa dented
Dominique Francis’ previously perfect record with a unanimous
decision victory in the opening contest.

BERLANGA WINS BY TKO ?
#ZuffaBoxing09 pic.twitter.com/B71JSxVpIM

— Zuffa_Boxing (@Zuffa_Boxing)
July 27, 2026

A World Title win rarely comes with a personal audience from a head of state. This week, it did.

Aliff Sor Dechapan, accompanied by his parents, received a welcome from Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the Prime Minister's Office in Putrajaya this week. The visit followed his fifth-round finish of Sam-A Gaiyanghadao at The Inner Circle 23 on Friday, July 24.

That win made Aliff the first Malaysian to capture ONE World gold. It also pushed his career record to 63-9 and earned him a US$50,000 performance bonus.

Anwar had publicly rallied the nation behind Aliff ahead of the fight. This week's meeting carried that same national spirit forward. The two even shared a lighthearted shadowboxing moment inside the Prime Minister's office.

“Alhamdulillah, today I had the opportunity to meet YAB Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, in Putrajaya. It was a deeply meaningful honor for me and serves as a source of inspiration to keep fighting and bringing glory to Malaysia's name on the global stage,†Aliff wrote.

“Thank you to everyone who continues to pray for and support my journey. God willing, I will continue to give the best for my country.â€

Anwar Ibrahim celebrates Aliff Sor Dechapan's rise

Anwar was among the first public figures to celebrate Aliff Sor Dechapan's win, sharing in the outpouring of national pride that followed. He extended that same warmth in person during this week's meeting.

The Prime Minister posted his own message following the visit. He framed the achievement as proof of what Malaysia's youth can accomplish on the world stage.

“I welcomed Aliff Rakib to my office today and congratulated him on his historic achievement of becoming the first Malaysian to clinch the ONE Interim Strawweight Muay Thai World Title in ONE Championship. This success not only brings glory to Malaysia on the international stage but also demonstrates that our nation's youth possess the capability, discipline, and fighting spirit to compete against the world's best,†Anwar wrote.

“May this achievement inspire more young people to pursue their dreams with determination, commitment, and unwavering perseverance. Well done, Aliff Rakib, Malaysia is proud of this success.â€

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

---

Valter
Walker has issued a warning to his heavyweight peers in the

Ultimate Fighting Championship for when the fight hits the
mat.

The Brazilian submission specialist continued his remarkable streak
at
UFC Abu Dhabi, forcing a tap from Thomas
Petersen with a rare calf slicer in the first round. This
marked only the fourth successful calf slicer in Octagon history
and extended Walker’s streak of sub victories to five straight.

Valter Walker says he has an answer when opponents defend his
heel hook.

Walker (16-1) secured four consecutive wins via heel hooks going
into UFC Abu Dhabi and added yet another leg-based submission
conquest to his record with his victory over Petersen. “The Foot
Hunter†later explained that the finish came after his American
counterpart successfully defended the heel hook.

“If you're ready for the heel hook, I have a variation to find a
way to win the fight,†Walker said in a post-fight interview. “If
the fight is on the ground, be careful. I will surprise you every
time.â€

Walker has six submission wins overall, in addition to just as many
knockouts. His current streak of first-round submissions paves the
way for a high-profile matchup next, which he's targeting for
UFC
333 in October, also slated for Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

“I just want to relax a little bit now, take a holiday with my wife
— but I want to fight again in October here,†Walker added. “I'll
talk to my manager and find out who's next.â€

“If the fight is on the ground, be
careful.”

Valter
Walker collects his fifth-straight submission victory at

#UFCAbuDhabi and gives his prediction for today’s main
event.

Prelim Results âž¡ï¸ https://t.co/unjXsOEd6u@VisitAbuDhabi
| @InAbuDhabi |

#InAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/EvEu52mV4f

— UFC News (@UFCNews)
July 25, 2026