Bilal Hasan's UFC debut lands on Michael Jackson's birthday

Nilson Rojas brings a 9-0 record to the Aug. 29 bout.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Aug 271 min read

Bilal Hasan has long been obsessed with Michael Jackson – so it's only fitting his #UFCShanghai debut comes on his birth Via @MMAJunkie on X

What happened: The unbeaten flyweights will meet in Shanghai to open the main card. Hasan earned his UFC contract with a 45-second stoppage on Aug. 11.

Why it matters: Hasan has tied his performance style to his longtime admiration for Jackson and plans a special walkout. The booking gives him an 18-day turnaround from his contract-winning bout.

By the numbers: Hasan is 9-0 with seven knockouts, one submission and four first-round finishes. Rojas also enters at 9-0.

What to watch: Hasan and Rojas meet Saturday at UFC Shanghai, with the main card starting at 6 a.m. EDT.

Sources

@MMAJunkie 2026-08-27T16:42:48.984428+00:00

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