Pawel Pawlak successfully defended his middleweight title for the fourth time by stopping Mamed Khalidov via TKO in the final second of the fourth round. The dramatic finish came at the very end of the scheduled round, marking Pawlak's continued dominance in the middleweight division. This title defense extends Pawlak's reign as champion with his fourth successful defense. The fight took place at a recent event, though specific details about the promotion or event name were not provided in the post.
Pawel Pawlak delivered one of the most dramatic finishes of his career on April 19, 2026, stopping Mamed Khalidov via TKO in the final second of the fourth round to make the fourth successful defense of his middleweight title.
Pawlak, 37, now holds a professional record of 12 wins and 3 losses and competes out of Octopus Lodz in Poland. The orthodox striker stands six feet tall with a 73-inch reach and has built his championship reign on measured, consistent output. He lands 1.67 significant strikes per minute at 33 percent accuracy, supplementing his striking with a takedown rate of one per 15 minutes. Surviving the fourth round to land a stoppage at its very last second underlines the kind of championship-level resilience that has defined his reign.
Khalidov, one of the most storied names in European MMA, came into the contest with the pedigree and experience to test any middleweight champion. The fight went deep, stretching into the fourth round before Pawlak found the finish.
Why it matters
- Pawlak's fourth title defense cements his status as the dominant middleweight in his promotion
- A dramatic late stoppage over a fighter of Khalidov's reputation adds significant weight to the reign
- The finish extends Pawlak's unbeaten run as champion and raises the bar for any future challengers in the division
