Asu Almabayev has spoken candidly about his upcoming opponent Charles Johnson, calling him a skilled, experienced, and artistic fighter. Almabayev acknowledged the dangers Johnson presents, noting that Johnson previously knocked out Joshua Van, but expressed full confidence in his own abilities. The Kazakh fighter said he has no fear going into the fight and intends to use every opportunity to come out victorious.
Asu Almabayev has opened up about his upcoming flyweight clash with Charles Johnson, expressing respect for his opponent while making clear he intends to walk away with the victory.
Almabayev, nicknamed "Zulfikar," enters the bout ranked eighth in the UFC flyweight division with a record of 24-3-0. The 32-year-old Kazakh fighter out of DAR Pro Team is a predominantly grappling-based competitor, averaging an impressive 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 wrestling rather than outright power.
Johnson, known as "InnerG," brings considerable experience to the matchup, holding a 19-9-0 record across his career at 35 years old. The switch-stance American out of Murcielago MMA stands five-foot-nine with a 70-inch reach and lands 4.77 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy. Almabayev specifically singled out Johnson's knockout of Joshua Van as evidence of the threat he poses. Van is the current flyweight champion at just 24 years old, carrying an elite striking output of 8.84 significant strikes per minute and a 56 percent accuracy rate, making the knockout all the more notable.
Almabayev acknowledged the dangers Johnson presents but stated he carries no fear heading into the contest, expressing full confidence in his own skill set.
Why it matters
- Almabayev sits at number eight in the flyweight rankings, meaning a strong performance could push him deeper into title contention
- Johnson's ability to finish the reigning flyweight champion gives him credible knockout credentials against elite opposition
- The stylistic contrast is sharp — Almabayev's wrestling-heavy approach meets Johnson's volume striking and switch-stance versatility
