“Smilin” is back.
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veteran Sam Alvey is officially set to defend his Karate Combat Light Heavyweight title against fellow ex-UFC standout Uriah Hall at Karate Combat 62 on Friday, July 24, 2026, in Miami, Florida.
The promotion announced the matchup earlier today on social media.
For some context, Karate Combat rebranded its original 205-pound “Heavyweight” division into the Light Heavyweight division. Alvey — who captured the belt by defeating longtime champion
Ross Levine back in 2023 — was grandfathered in as the inaugural Light Heavyweight champion.
However, he has not defended the title since July 2024 because “Smilin” moved up to compete in the new Heavyweight division.
Alvey currently holds a 4-1-1 record inside the Karate Combat pit and is coming off a brutal second-round knockout loss to Robelis Despaigne, where he lost the Heavyweight title (watch highlights).
Meanwhile, Hall has quietly found success since joining Karate Combat.
The former UFC title challenger made his debut at KC 57 in Oct. 2025, defeating Markus Perez via unanimous decision before following it up with a nasty spinning back kick knockout over Jayden Eynaud earlier this year.
Since departing the UFC in 2022, Hall has remained active through boxing and striking-focused combat sports appearances, but Karate Combat appears to suit his flashy style perfectly.
With Alvey’s one-punch knockout power and Hall’s dynamic kicking arsenal, this one has serious violence potential.
The only other matchup currently announced for Karate Combat 62 is Welterweight champion Oussama Assli defending his title against Lucas Martins.
Expect additional fights to be revealed in the coming weeks.
