Asu Almabayev defeated Johnson by submission in the third round, finishing the fight with a Suloev stretch late in the championship round. The bout featured creative grappling exchanges from both fighters throughout.
Asu Almabayev extended his winning ways with a third-round submission victory over Johnson on June 27, 2026, finishing the flyweight contest via Suloev stretch late in what proved to be a competitive and technically rich grappling showcase.
Almabayev, known as "Zulfikar," improved to 24-3-0 with the finish, reinforcing his standing as one of the more well-rounded grapplers in the flyweight division. The 32-year-old Kazakhstani, who trains out of DAR Pro Team, currently sits ranked eighth in the flyweight rankings. Standing five-foot-four with a 65-inch reach, Almabayev operates out of an orthodox stance and has built his reputation on a relentless grappling game. He averages 4.46 takedowns per 15 minutes and generates 1.5 submission attempts per 15 minutes, numbers that reflect the sustained ground pressure he applied throughout the fight. He also contributes on the feet, landing 2.31 significant strikes per minute at a 50 percent accuracy rate.
The bout was not a one-sided affair. Both fighters produced creative grappling exchanges across all three rounds before Almabayev found the decisive opening in the championship round, locking in the Suloev stretch — a relatively rare finishing hold — to secure the tapout.
Why it matters
- Almabayev's win at ranked eighth keeps him firmly in flyweight title contention discussions
- The Suloev stretch finish demonstrates a diverse and dangerous submission arsenal beyond the standard grappling toolkit
- A third-round finish over a fellow technically capable grappler adds significant quality to his 24-win resume
