Nursulton Ruzyboev submitted Andrei Pulyaev by rear-naked choke in the first round at UFC Baku, running his middleweight UFC record to a perfect 5-0. The Uzbek fighter now holds a 5-1 overall UFC mark, his only loss coming at welterweight against Buckley. Ruzyboev called for a top-15 opponent following the victory, noting he has turned away no challenge.
Nursulton Ruzyboev extended his unbeaten run at middleweight to five fights on June 27, submitting Andrei Pulyaev by rear-naked choke in the first round at UFC Baku.
Ruzyboev, who competes out of UZB Patriot, carries an overall professional record of 37-9-2 and is now 5-1 inside the UFC. The 32-year-old Uzbek's sole octagon defeat came at welterweight against Buckley, and every performance since his move to 185 pounds has ended in his favor. Standing six-foot-five with a 76-inch reach, Ruzyboev averages 0.75 takedowns per 15 minutes and has proven difficult to keep upright. Following the finish, he made his intentions clear, calling for a top-15 middleweight opponent and stating he has turned down no challenge put in front of him.
Pulyaev, a 28-year-old Russian fighting out of Storm Shlemenko Fight Team, drops to 10-5-0 on the night. The southpaw stands six-foot-four with a 78-inch reach and brings genuine striking output to his fights, landing 3.84 significant strikes per minute at a 56-percent accuracy rate. Despite that offensive production, he was unable to prevent Ruzyboev from securing the finish before the opening round concluded.
Why it matters
- Ruzyboev's 5-0 middleweight UFC record puts him among the division's most convincing risers and strengthens his case for a ranked opponent.
- A first-round submission against a fighter with Pulyaev's striking accuracy and physical dimensions underlines his finishing ability on the ground.
- The callout signals Ruzyboev expects movement in the rankings, which could reshape the lower tier of the middleweight division heading into the second half of 2026.
