Tahir Abdullayev stopped Jefferson Nascimento via ground-and-pound TKO at the 4:28 mark of the third round at UFC Baku.
Tahir Abdullayev earned a stoppage victory on home soil, finishing Jefferson Nascimento via ground-and-pound TKO at the 4:28 mark of the third round at UFC Baku on June 27, 2026.
Abdullayev, known as "Tank," improved his professional record to 20-3-0 with the finish. The 29-year-old Azerbaijani fights out of Phuket Top Team and stands five-foot-eight with a 73-inch reach. Competing in front of a home crowd, he demonstrated the finishing ability that has defined his career, taking the fight to the canvas and closing it out with ground-and-pound before the final bell.
Nascimento, nicknamed "Toddynho," suffers his first professional loss, dropping to 13-1-0. The 27-year-old Brazilian, who trains with Renovacao Fight Team, entered the contest as one of the more promising unbeaten prospects in his division. He shares the same height as Abdullayev at five-foot-eight but holds a slightly shorter reach at 70 inches.
Why it matters
- Abdullayev's finish on home turf at UFC Baku raises his profile significantly and could push him toward divisional contention.
- Nascimento absorbs his first career defeat, a setback that disrupts what had been a clean 13-fight unbeaten run.
- The three-round finish underscores Abdullayev's effectiveness on the ground, adding resume weight ahead of any future rankings consideration.
