Nicolas Dalby

The step from karate to MMA. Dalby started Ashihara karate as a teenager because he wanted to be able to defend himself against bullies. He also began competing in karate tournaments. After five years, he discovered MMA and became curious about the combination of disciplines. Rumble Sports in Copenhagen became his training base.

Building his career on the European circuit. After his amateur period, Dalby turned professional in 2010. He won welterweight titles at Fightergalla and the promotion European MMA. In 2014, he won the Cage Warriors welterweight title by defeating Sergei Churilov via TKO.

A first UFC stint. On May 30, 2015, Dalby won his UFC debut against Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos via split decision. His bout against Darren Till on October 24 ended in a majority draw and earned Fight of the Night honors. After losses to Zak Cummings and Peter Sobotta in 2016, his first stint with the organization came to an end.

Return via Cage Warriors. Dalby rebuilt his career at Cage Warriors and captured the interim welterweight title. In 2019, he returned to the UFC. His victory over Alex Oliveira on September 28 marked the beginning of a second UFC stint.

A longer run of international opponents. During his second UFC stint, Dalby defeated, among others, Daniel Rodriguez, Cláudio Silva, Warlley Alves, and Muslim Salikhov. In November 2023, he earned a second-round TKO victory over Gabriel Bonfim. In November 2025, he defeated Saygid Izagakhmaev via split decision.

Karate as a starting point. Dalby's first competition training was in Ashihara karate, in which he earned a green belt. He fights from an orthodox stance and names kicks as his favorite stand-up techniques. In MMA, he combines that background with clinch work, takedowns, and ground fighting.

Technique, sparring, and ground work. His training at Rumble Sports includes technical sessions, sparring, intensive drills, and supplementary strength and conditioning training. In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, he holds a brown belt; the arm triangle is among his favorite grappling techniques.

Cage Warriors - Former welterweight champion and interim welterweight champion. He won the undisputed title against Sergei Churilov in 2014.

Other welterweight titles - Champion at Fightergalla and the European MMA organization.

UFC Fight of the Night - Award-winning bouts against Darren Till in 2015, Gabriel Bonfim in 2023, and Randy Brown in 2025.

UFC debut and return - He won his debut against Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos in 2015 and his comeback bout against Alex Oliveira in 2019.

1984 - Born on November 16.

2010 - Begins his professional MMA career.

2014 - Wins the Cage Warriors welterweight title against Sergei Churilov.

2015 - Wins his UFC debut against Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos. The bout against Darren Till ends in a draw and earns a Fight of the Night award.

2016 - His first UFC stint ends after bouts against Zak Cummings and Peter Sobotta.

2019 - Returns to the UFC after winning an interim title at Cage Warriors and defeats Alex Oliveira.

2020 - Defeats Daniel Rodriguez at UFC 255.

2022 - Defeats Cláudio Silva.

2023 - Defeats Warlley Alves, Muslim Salikhov, and Gabriel Bonfim. The bout against Bonfim earns a Fight of the Night award.

2024 - Loses to Rinat Fakhretdinov by split decision.

2025 - Loses to Randy Brown in a bout awarded Fight of the Night and later defeats Saygid Izagakhmaev by split decision.

A Danish journey from European champion to the UFC. Dalby's career connects the training environment at Rumble Sports with title fights at Cage Warriors and extensive experience in the UFC. His regular and interim Cage Warriors titles rank among his enduring sporting achievements.

Return as part of his career. The end of his first UFC stint did not mark the end of his international career. He returned via new fights at Cage Warriors. His victories and award-winning bouts during that second period give the comeback a concrete place in his sporting history.