Murtazali Magomedov made an immediate impact in his UFC debut, submitting Melsik Baghdasaryan with a twister at the 1:17 mark of the first round — only the fourth twister finish in UFC history. The 11-0 fighter, who also holds a 7-0 amateur record, called out the flyweight division after the win and urged the UFC to book him frequently. Magomedov said he anticipated the opportunity for the submission and executed it as planned.
Murtazali Magomedov announced himself to the UFC flyweight division in emphatic fashion on June 21, submitting Melsik Baghdasaryan with a twister at just 1:17 of the first round — only the fourth time in UFC history the rare submission has been used to finish a fight.
Magomedov, 26, enters the UFC's official rankings conversation with a perfect 11-0 professional record, supplemented by a 7-0 amateur career. The orthodox fighter stands five-foot-nine with a 70-inch reach and has shown well-rounded offensive output throughout his career, averaging 5.17 takedowns and 5.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes. He stated after the fight that he had anticipated the twister opportunity and executed it precisely as planned, then called out the flyweight division and urged the promotion to keep him busy.
Baghdasaryan, 34, fighting out of Glendale Fighting Club, came in with an 8-4 record and a southpaw stance. The American known as "The Gun" had demonstrated strong striking output, landing nearly five significant strikes per minute at a 58-percent accuracy rate, but he recorded no takedown or submission activity in his statistical profile — a potential vulnerability that Magomedov exploited almost immediately.
Why it matters
- The twister is one of the rarest finishes in MMA; landing it in a UFC debut signals exceptional grappling creativity and body-lock control.
- Magomedov's combined takedown and submission volume marks him as an immediate grappling threat to anyone in the flyweight division.
- His callout signals clear ambition, and an unbeaten record built on active finishing ability could push matchmakers toward a ranked opponent next.
- At 26 and undefeated, Magomedov has significant developmental runway ahead of him at 125 pounds.
