Full Breakdown
Zuffa Boxing 09 Delivers TKO Victory for Edgar Berlanga in New York
7/27/2026, 2:26:36 PM
Event Overview
Zuffa Boxing returned for its ninth show at Madison Square Garden in New York City, featuring the promotional debuts of Edgar Berlanga and Richardson Hitchins. Media day took place on July 18, 2026 at the Jacob Javits Center and was attended by Berlanga, UFC president Dana White, and Steven Butler. [Badlefthook]
Main Bout: Berlanga vs. Butler
Brooklyn native Edgar Berlanga (24-2, 19 KO) faced Canadian super-middleweight contender Steven “Bang Bang” Butler (38-6, 32 KO). Berlanga was dropped in round 2, recovered, and knocked Butler down in round 6. The referee stopped the fight in round 7 after Butler absorbed additional clean shots, awarding Berlanga a technical-knockout victory. [Badlefthook]
Co-Main Event and Additional Fights
- Richardson Hitchins (21-0, 8 KO) made his Zuffa debut at welterweight, defeating Ricardo Salas (24-3-2, 18 KO) by unanimous decision; all three judges scored the bout 100-90. [Badlefthook]
- The undercard featured 23-year-old prospect Jalil Hackett defeating veteran Sergiy Derevyanchenko by unanimous decision; official scores were 96-94, 97-93, and 98-92. [Badlefthook]
Background & Context
Berlanga entered the event after a stoppage loss to Hamza Sheeraz last summer, seeking to rebound in his hometown. The bout marked his first appearance under the Zuffa Boxing banner, while Butler entered with a four-fight knockout streak since moving up to the 168-pound division. [UFC]
Immediate Impact
The TKO win positions Berlanga as a contender in the super-middleweight division, potentially setting up future title-level matchups. Butler’s first loss in the division may affect his ranking and momentum. Hitchins’ dominant debut reinforces his unbeaten record as he transitions to a higher weight class. [Badlefthook]
