Asu Almabayev turned in his best UFC performance to date, taking down Charles Johnson repeatedly before finishing him with a Suloev stretch submission in Round 3 at UFC Baku. The win improves Almabayev to 7-1 inside the promotion and marks his second consecutive submission victory. Johnson had never previously been submitted in MMA competition.
Asu Almabayev delivered the most commanding performance of his UFC career on June 27 at UFC Baku, repeatedly taking Charles Johnson to the canvas before finishing him with a Suloev stretch submission in the third round. The victory pushed Almabayev to 7-1 inside the promotion and extended his current winning streak to back-to-back submission finishes.
Almabayev, known as "Zulfikar," enters the flyweight rankings at number eight following the result. The 32-year-old Kazakhstani fighter out of DAR Pro Team carries an overall professional record of 24-3-0 and has built his reputation on relentless grappling pressure. His numbers reflect that identity: he averages 4.46 takedowns per 15 minutes and attempts 1.5 submissions in the same span, among the higher rates in the 125-pound division. Standing five-foot-four with a 65-inch reach, he fights orthodox and lands around half of his significant strikes at 2.31 per minute.
Johnson, nicknamed "InnerG," came in at 19-9-0 representing Murcielago MMA out of the United States. The 35-year-old switch-stance flyweight stands five-foot-nine with a 70-inch reach and had shown durability throughout his career — he had never been submitted in MMA competition prior to this contest. Johnson is an active striker, averaging 4.77 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy, and had posed a consistent threat on the feet entering the matchup.
Why it matters
- Almabayev's ranking at number eight places him firmly inside the flyweight title picture conversation
- Two consecutive submission victories demonstrate an evolving and dangerous finishing ability on the ground
- Johnson's first career submission loss marks a significant stylistic vulnerability exposed at the highest level
- The Suloev stretch is a rarely seen finish, underscoring Almabayev's technical grappling depth
