Bekzat Almakhan has announced he will face Jean Matsumoto on June 27 at UFC Baku. Almakhan holds a 1-2 record in the UFC, while Matsumoto comes in with a 3-2 promotional record. The bout was confirmed by Almakhan on his social media accounts. The announcement provides the matchup details but does not specify the weight class or where the fight will be positioned on the card.
Bekzat Almakhan and Jean Matsumoto are set to collide at UFC Baku on June 27, with the matchup confirmed by Almakhan through his social media channels. The weight class and card position have not been announced.
Almakhan, known as "The Turan Warrior," carries a 12-4-0 overall record and a 1-2 mark inside the UFC. The 28-year-old from Kazakhstan trains out of Triumph Fights and stands five-foot-seven with a 68-inch reach. Fighting out of an orthodox stance, he averages 1.61 significant strikes per minute, and his UFC tenure has yet to see him register takedowns or submission attempts at a notable rate.
Matsumoto enters the bout in noticeably different form. The 26-year-old Brazilian out of Inside MMA holds an 18-2-0 overall record and has gone 3-2 in the promotion. Standing five-foot-six with a matching 68-inch reach, the orthodox fighter is considerably more active on the feet, averaging 5.37 significant strikes per minute with a 39 percent accuracy rate. He also adds a wrestling dimension, averaging three takedowns per 15 minutes, and has shown a willingness to look for finishes on the ground with 0.5 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Matsumoto's striking volume — more than three times Almakhan's output — makes this a sharp stylistic contrast
- Matsumoto's takedown average adds a multi-dimensional threat that Almakhan's UFC record suggests he has not regularly faced
- Both fighters are on the younger side of the roster at 28 and 26, meaning a strong performance in Baku could carry significant career momentum for either man
- The weight class remains unconfirmed, leaving a key variable in the matchup picture still open
