Bekzat Almakhan and Jean Matsumoto will face each other on June 27 at UFC Baku. Almakhan announced the matchup on his social media channels. Almakhan currently holds a 1-2 record in the UFC, while Matsumoto stands at 3-2 in the promotion. The announcement was made directly by one of the fighters rather than through official UFC channels. The post invites readers to predict the winner of the bout. This represents an important fight for both men as they look to improve their standing in the UFC.
Bekzat Almakhan and Jean Matsumoto are set to collide at UFC Baku on June 27, with Almakhan himself breaking the news through his personal social media channels rather than waiting for an official UFC announcement.
Almakhan, known as "The Turan Warrior," enters the fight representing Kazakhstan at 28 years old. He carries a 12-4-0 overall record and sits at 1-2 inside the Octagon fighting out of Triumph Fights. The orthodox striker stands five-foot-seven with a 68-inch reach, though his UFC numbers reflect a measured approach, averaging 1.61 significant strikes per minute at a 34 percent striking accuracy.
Matsumoto brings a sharply contrasting profile to the matchup. The 26-year-old Brazilian, training out of Inside MMA, holds an impressive 18-2-0 overall record and has gone 3-2 in the UFC. At five-foot-six with an identical 68-inch reach, the orthodox fighter has been noticeably more active on the feet, landing 5.37 significant strikes per minute at 39 percent accuracy. He also adds a grappling dimension to his game, averaging three takedowns per 15 minutes and 0.5 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Both fighters are positioned at a critical crossroads in their UFC tenures, with wins potentially pushing them up the divisional ladder
- The striking volume gap between the two is significant, with Matsumoto averaging more than three times the significant strikes per minute that Almakhan does
- Matsumoto's takedown activity could be a key factor against an opponent who has not recorded any defensive grappling numbers of note
- A win for Almakhan on home soil in Baku would carry considerable momentum heading into the second half of 2026
