Almabaev ground out a finish against Johnson, controlling the fight on the mat before locking in a Suloev stretch submission late in the third round. The bout featured creative grappling exchanges from both fighters throughout.
Marat Almabaev secured a third-round submission victory over Jose "Zhakwarius" Johnson, finishing the fight with a Suloev stretch in a contest that showcased intricate grappling from both competitors throughout all three rounds.
Johnson, a 31-year-old orthodox fighter out of Twin Wolves MMA, entered the bout carrying a professional record of 16 wins and 10 losses. The American stands six feet tall with a 71-inch reach and has demonstrated well-rounded tools across his career, landing 2.27 significant strikes per minute at an impressive 57 percent striking accuracy. He also brings a grappling threat of his own, averaging 0.7 submission attempts per 15 minutes, which made the mat exchanges with Almabaev genuinely competitive rather than one-sided.
Despite Johnson's offensive grappling output, Almabaev proved the more dangerous presence on the ground, methodically working his way to dominant positions before securing the Suloev stretch — a relatively rare shoulder-lock submission — to close the fight late in the third frame.
Why it matters
- The Suloev stretch finish underscores Almabaev's creativity and technical depth on the mat, going beyond conventional submission threats.
- Johnson's 57 percent striking accuracy shows he remains dangerous on the feet, meaning Almabaev's decision to keep the fight grounded reflected a calculated game plan.
- The late third-round finish indicates Johnson was competitive for the majority of the contest, which speaks to the durability and grappling resilience he brought into the cage.
- The result adds a notable highlight-reel submission to Almabaev's record and reinforces his viability as a grappling-oriented threat in his division.
