Yadier del Valle

Yadier del Valle, a 27-year-old Cuban southpaw, holds a 10-1 professional record and has compiled a 3-1 mark across his four most recent UFC appearances. Del Valle operates as a well-rounded fighter with submission prowess anchoring his skill set, averaging 2.0 submission attempts per fifteen minutes while landing 4.05 strikes per minute at 60% accuracy.

His grappling credentials are evident—he submitted Isaac Dulgarian in the opening round on November 1, 2025, and Connor Matthews just 2:54 into their first round on May 17, 2025, though his takedown accuracy sits at a modest 42% with 58% defense. Del Valle's striking defense of 55% and absorption rate of 2.16 strikes absorbed per minute suggest he remains vulnerable in exchanges, a weakness exposed in his most recent outing against Jordan Leavitt on February 21, 2026, where he suffered a unanimous decision loss.

Prior to that setback, del Valle notched a unanimous decision victory over Antonio Monteiro in October 2024, demonstrating his ability to control fights across all three rounds. With his submission-first approach and moderate striking volume, del Valle represents a submission threat at featherweight, though his recent loss to Leavitt indicates he needs to address his defensive striking to remain competitive at the elite level.