Almabayev ground out a finish against Johnson, controlling the fight on the mat before securing a submission with a leg lock in the final moments of round three. The bout featured creative grappling exchanges from both fighters throughout.
Asu "Zulfikar" Almabayev secured a third-round submission victory over Jose "Zhakwarius" Johnson on June 27, 2026, finishing the flyweight contest with a leg lock in the closing moments of the final frame.
Almabayev, ranked eighth in the flyweight division, improved his record to 24-3-0 with the finish. The 32-year-old Kazakhstani fighter, who trains out of DAR Pro Team, is a relentless grappling threat — he averages 4.46 takedowns per 15 minutes and attempts 1.5 submissions in the same span. Standing five-foot-four with a 65-inch reach, Almabayev controlled the fight on the mat and eventually turned consistent positional pressure into a fight-ending leg lock late in round three.
Johnson, the 31-year-old American representing Twin Wolves MMA, brought a 16-10-0 record into the bout and showed active grappling of his own throughout. He carries a striking accuracy of 57 percent and lands 2.27 significant strikes per minute, but the creative grappling exchanges that defined the fight ultimately played into Almabayev's hands. Johnson himself averages 0.7 submission attempts per 15 minutes, meaning both men were willing to engage on the mat.
Why it matters
- Almabayev's win strengthens his position as the number-eight ranked flyweight, keeping him in contention for a top-five matchup.
- The leg lock finish underlines the submission depth in the flyweight division, where ground specialists are increasingly difficult to manage.
- Johnson, despite the loss, demonstrated the grappling versatility that has sustained a 16-win professional career, and remains a viable opponent for ranked competitors.
