Bekzat Almakhan suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Jan Matsumoto at UFC Baku, leaving him with a 1-3 record in the promotion. Matsumoto entered the bout at 17-2, with his only losses coming to split-decision opponents ranked inside the top 15. Despite landing three knockdowns across his UFC tenure, Almakhan has struggled with distance management, defensive output, and fight IQ, limiting his ability to establish himself in the divisional rankings.
Bekzat Almakhan's struggles inside the UFC octagon continued at UFC Baku on June 27, 2026, as he dropped a unanimous decision to Jean Matsumoto, falling to a 1-3 record in the promotion.
Almakhan, the 28-year-old Kazakhstani known as "The Turan Warrior," carries an overall professional record of 12-4 and trains out of Triumph Fights. Standing five-foot-seven with a 68-inch reach, the orthodox striker has shown flashes of finishing ability — landing three knockdowns across his UFC tenure — but his numbers in the promotion tell a difficult story. He averages just 1.61 significant strikes per minute with a striking accuracy of 34 percent, and he has generated no takedown or submission activity, leaving him with a narrow offensive margin for error. Persistent issues with distance management and defensive awareness have kept him from gaining traction in the divisional rankings.
Matsumoto, by contrast, is emerging as one of the more dangerous fighters in his weight class. The 26-year-old Brazilian, now 18-2 overall, is an orthodox fighter standing five-foot-six with a matching 68-inch reach and trains out of Inside MMA. His offensive output is striking — 5.37 significant strikes landed per minute at 39 percent accuracy — and he supplements his volume with a takedown rate of three per 15 minutes and 0.5 submission attempts per 15 minutes. His two losses on record both came by split decision against opponents ranked inside the top 15, underscoring the level at which he has consistently competed.
Why it matters
- Almakhan's 1-3 UFC record puts his roster spot under serious pressure, with no clear path to a divisional ranking
- Matsumoto's win adds a convincing finish to an already impressive resume and strengthens his case for a ranked opponent next
- The contrast in striking output — Matsumoto averaging more than three times Almakhan's volume — reflected a significant style and execution gap between the two
