Almabayev defeated Johnson by submission in the third round, finishing the fight with a Suloev stretch — an uncommon submission hold — after a competitive grappling exchange. The bout featured creative ground work from both fighters throughout its three rounds.
Asu "Zulfikar" Almabayev added another highlight to his grappling resume on June 27, 2026, submitting Jose "Zhakwarius" Johnson in the third round with a Suloev stretch — a rarely seen submission hold that capped a competitive, ground-heavy contest.
Almabayev, 32, enters the victory at 24-3-0, reinforcing his standing as the eighth-ranked flyweight in the division. The Kazakhstani fighter out of DAR Pro Team has built his career on relentless wrestling, averaging an exceptional 4.46 takedowns per 15 minutes, and he complements that with a submission attempt rate of 1.5 per 15 minutes — a figure that reflects the kind of creative, active ground work he displayed throughout this fight. Standing five-foot-four with a 65-inch reach, Almabayev may not be physically imposing, but his grappling output consistently neutralizes opponents before they can settle.
Johnson, the 31-year-old American representing Twin Wolves MMA, came in at 16-10-0 and kept the bout honest across all three rounds. He carries a striking accuracy of 57 percent and lands 2.27 significant strikes per minute, showing he can compete on the feet. His own submission attempt rate of 0.7 per 15 minutes meant the grappling exchanges were genuinely two-sided, even if Almabayev ultimately proved the more dangerous worker on the mat.
Why it matters
- Almabayev's win at ranked number eight in the flyweight division keeps him firmly in contention for a top-five matchup.
- The Suloev stretch finish signals the kind of submission variety that makes Almabayev a difficult stylistic puzzle for any opponent.
- Johnson's willingness to engage on the ground gave the bout its competitive texture but ultimately worked against him against one of the division's most active grapplers.
