Bekzat Almakhan suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Jan Matsumoto at UFC Baku, dropping to 1-3 in the promotion. Despite landing three knockdowns in his UFC career, Almakhan struggled with distance management and defense throughout the bout. Matsumoto entered the fight with a 17-2 record.
Bekzat Almakhan's struggles inside the UFC continued on June 27 at UFC Baku, where he dropped a unanimous decision to Jean Matsumoto, falling to a 1-3 record inside the promotion.
Almakhan, known as "The Turan Warrior," carries an overall professional mark of 12-4 and represents Kazakhstan out of Triumph Fights. The 28-year-old stands five-foot-seven with a 68-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance. Despite flashing power at times during his UFC tenure — landing three knockdowns across his promotional appearances — his output has remained limited, averaging just 1.61 significant strikes per minute at a 34 percent accuracy rate. Distance management and defensive lapses proved costly again in Baku.
Matsumoto, the 26-year-old Brazilian out of Inside MMA, improved to 18-2 overall with the victory. He brought a well-rounded and high-volume game into the fight, averaging an imposing 5.37 significant strikes per minute at 39 percent accuracy, while also threatening on the mat with three takedowns per 15 minutes and occasional submission attempts. Standing five-foot-six with a 68-inch reach, Matsumoto matched Almakhan physically but outlasted him in every phase of the contest.
Why it matters
- Almakhan now sits at 1-3 inside the UFC, putting his roster spot under serious pressure heading into any future booking.
- Matsumoto's high-volume striking and takedown ability exposed the defensive gaps that have plagued Almakhan throughout his promotional run.
- A fighter of Matsumoto's age and output — 5.37 significant strikes per minute — positions him as a name to watch in his division after a convincing performance on a UFC event card.
