Asu Almabayev has spoken candidly about his upcoming opponent Charles Johnson, describing him as a skilled and experienced UFC fighter who poses real dangers. Almabayev noted that Johnson previously knocked out Joshua Van and that he approaches the fight with full awareness of the risks. The Kazakh fighter remains confident, stating he fears no one and intends to fight until the final bell to secure the win.
Asu Almabayev has opened up about his upcoming flyweight clash with Charles Johnson, expressing genuine respect for his opponent while making clear he enters the fight without fear.
Almabayev, nicknamed "Zulfikar," holds a record of 24-3-0 and sits at number eight in the flyweight rankings. The 32-year-old Kazakh fighter out of DAR Pro Team is a relentless grappler, averaging 4.46 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 1.5 submission attempts per 15 minutes. He carries a 50 percent striking accuracy and lands 2.31 significant strikes per minute, painting the picture of a fighter who controls opponents through pressure and wrestling rather than volume on the feet.
Johnson, known as "InnerG," brings a record of 19-9-0 into this contest. The 35-year-old American from Murcielago MMA fights out of a switch stance, stands five-foot-nine with a 70-inch reach, and averages 4.77 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy. He also mixes in submission attempts, averaging 0.3 per 15 minutes. Almabayev specifically acknowledged that Johnson knocked out Joshua Van — the current flyweight champion — calling that result proof of the danger Johnson carries into any fight.
Despite that acknowledgment, Almabayev stated he fears nobody and intends to push through to the final bell to get the victory.
Why it matters
- Almabayev is ranked eighth at flyweight, meaning a strong performance could move him closer to title contention
- Johnson's knockout of reigning champion Joshua Van gives him serious credibility as a threat in this division
- The matchup pits Almabayev's high-volume takedown game against Johnson's diverse striking from multiple stances, creating a clear style contrast
