Almabayev secured a submission victory over Johnson, finishing the fight with a Suloev stretch — a rare technique — near the end of the third round. The bout featured dynamic ground work from both fighters throughout.
Asu "Zulfikar" Almabayev picked up a striking submission victory on June 27, 2026, finishing Johnson with a Suloev stretch — one of the rarer finishing holds in mixed martial arts — late in the third round.
Almabayev, ranked eighth in the flyweight division, improved his professional record to 24-3-0 with the win. The 32-year-old Kazakhstani, who trains out of DAR Pro Team, has built a reputation as a well-rounded grappler, and the numbers back that up. He averages 4.46 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.5 submission attempts per 15 minutes, numbers that reflect consistent pressure on the mat. He also brings respectable striking output at 2.31 significant strikes per minute with a 50 percent accuracy rate, standing five-foot-four with a 65-inch reach.
The bout was not a one-sided affair on the ground. Both fighters traded meaningful grappling exchanges across all three rounds before Almabayev ultimately secured the fight-ending position and sank in the Suloev stretch — a technique that requires the attacking fighter to control the opponent's spine in a crucifix-like position while hyperextending the lower back and hip.
Why it matters
- The win keeps Almabayev firmly positioned inside the flyweight top ten at number eight, reinforcing his case for a higher-profile matchup.
- Finishing with a Suloev stretch signals elite-level submission creativity, not just volume grappling.
- Johnson's ability to push competitive ground exchanges for nearly three full rounds adds weight to Almabayev's performance.
