Almabayev ground out a third-round finish against Johnson, controlling the grappling exchanges before securing the submission with a Suloev stretch near the end of the fight. Both fighters delivered creative ground work throughout an entertaining and dynamic contest.
Asu "Zulfikar" Almabayev earned a third-round submission victory over Jose "Zhakwarius" Johnson on June 27, 2026, finishing the bout with a Suloev stretch to cap an entertaining grappling-heavy contest.
Almabayev, 32, enters the record books with an impressive 24-3-0 mark and holds the number eight ranking in the flyweight division. The Kazakhstani fighter out of DAR Pro Team is a relentless grappler, averaging 4.46 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.5 submission attempts per 15 minutes — numbers that underline just how dangerous he is once a fight hits the mat. Standing five-foot-four with a 65-inch reach, Almabayev controlled the grappling exchanges throughout before sealing the finish with the relatively rare Suloev stretch.
Johnson, fighting out of Twin Wolves MMA, came in at 16-10-0 and brought his own ground game to the table. The 31-year-old American stands six feet tall with a 71-inch reach and carries a striking accuracy of 57 percent, one of the sharper rates in his division. He also averages 0.7 submission attempts per 15 minutes, which meant the contest featured creative ground work from both sides and kept the fight engaging until the third-round stoppage.
Why it matters
- Almabayev's win strengthens his position at number eight in the flyweight rankings and keeps him in contention for a top-five matchup.
- The Suloev stretch finish adds a highlight-reel submission to his already submission-heavy resume, reinforcing his identity as one of the division's most dangerous grapplers.
- Johnson's ground activity made this a genuine back-and-forth contest rather than a one-sided affair, showcasing the depth of talent outside the flyweight elite.
