Zhalgas Zhumagulov Almabaev grinded out a grappling-heavy contest against Johnson before securing a submission finish with a Suloev stretch near the end of the third round. The fight featured creative ground work from both competitors before Almabaev sealed the victory.
A grappling-heavy flyweight contest came to a dramatic close when Zhalgas Zhumagulov Almabaev secured a Suloev stretch submission against Johnson late in the third round, delivering one of the more technically distinctive finishes seen in recent MMA action on June 27, 2026.
The bout was a measured, grinding affair for the better part of three rounds, with both competitors showing creative work on the mat. Almabaev and Johnson exchanged ground sequences throughout, keeping the fight in close quarters and away from the striking exchanges that dominate many flyweight contests. It was Almabaev who ultimately converted, locking in the Suloev stretch — a relatively uncommon submission that combines elements of a leg lock and a spine crank — as the clock wound down in the final frame.
Why it matters
- The Suloev stretch is one of the rarer submissions in professional MMA, making this finish a notable entry on any fighter's highlight reel.
- A third-round submission finish signals strong conditioning and composure under pressure, sustaining technical grappling over a full fifteen minutes.
- The result underlines the growing sophistication of ground game strategies at flyweight, where fighters increasingly blend wrestling and submission hunting rather than relying on striking alone.
Creative ground work from both men made the fight competitive deep into the championship rounds, but it was Almabaev's patience and positional persistence that created the opening. He capitalized near the end of round three, converting a controlled position into the finishing hold before the referee stepped in to wave off the contest.
