Almabayev ground out a win over Johnson, controlling him on the mat before finishing the fight with a submission late in the third round. 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, grinding out a patient performance before finishing the fight late with a submission to close out the contest.
Almabayev, the No. 8-ranked flyweight in the world, improved his record to 24-3-0 with the win. The 32-year-old from Kazakhstan, who trains out of DAR Pro Team, is one of the division's most relentless grapplers, averaging 4.46 takedowns per 15 minutes. He also generates submission attempts at a rate of 1.5 per 15 minutes, and that consistent ground pressure was on full display throughout the bout. Standing five-foot-four with a 65-inch reach, Almabayev is undersized even for flyweight, but his mat control more than compensates.
Johnson entered the fight with a record of 16-10-0 and brought his own grappling credentials to the contest. The 31-year-old from the United States, representing Twin Wolves MMA, is a capable submission threat in his own right, posting 0.7 submission attempts per 15 minutes. He also carries a striking accuracy of 57 percent, among the better marks in the division. Standing six-foot-zero with a 71-inch reach, Johnson held a significant size advantage that made his inability to keep the fight standing all the more costly.
Why it matters
- Almabayev's win reinforces his position as a top-ten flyweight and strengthens a case for a higher-ranked matchup
- The result highlights his elite takedown output, which ranks among the best in the division
- Johnson's grappling ability made this a competitive stylistic matchup, but Almabayev's volume and persistence ultimately proved decisive
