Multiple people with knowledge of the booking confirmed the news to MMA Fighting with verbal agreements in place from the athletes.
A longtime training partner of former champion Frankie Edgar and his team in New Jersey, Valiev has been considered one of the best bantamweight prospects without a spot on the UFC roster.
That all changed when he inked a deal with the promotion following an impressive six-fight winning streak, including four victories in the PFL and World Series of Fighting. Valiev is well known for his explosive style, and he’s racked up a number of wins by knockout and submission while working alongside training partners such as Eddie Alvarez and UFC featherweight contender Zabit Magomedsharipov.
Valiev originally was expected to fight on Aug. 1, but his debut was delayed until now.
As for Striegl, the ONE Championship veteran comes into the fight with an undefeated resume in his past five fights and an 18-2 record overall. Striegl holds wins over several notable opponents, including current UFC flyweight contender Kai Kara-France.
The upcoming card on Aug. 22 is headlined by Edgar in his bantamweight debut against Pedro Munhoz. The event takes place at UFC APEX in Las Vegas and airs on ESPN and ESPN+.
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