Makhmud Muradov KOs Will Fleury to Capture OKTAGON Light Heavyweight Title

Makhmud Muradov seized the OKTAGON light heavyweight title at OKTAGON 92, stopping champion Will Fleury by knockout early in the second round in a co-main event that swung dramatically before its finish.

The victory was hard-earned. Fleury dropped Muradov at the end of the first round, putting the Uzbek fighter in serious danger heading into the championship defense. Muradov recovered and came out for the second frame with urgency, turning the fight around and finishing Fleury to capture the belt.

Muradov, now 26-8-0, is a 36-year-old orthodox striker out of Ankos MMA who stands six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach. He brings considerable pressure to the light heavyweight division, averaging 4.21 significant strikes landed per minute and supplementing his stand-up game with a takedown rate of 3.03 per 15 minutes — a combination that makes him difficult to gameplan against. The championship represents a significant milestone in a career that has seen him compete at the highest levels of the sport.

Fleury entered the fight as the reigning OKTAGON light heavyweight champion and demonstrated his own durability and power by putting Muradov on the canvas in the opening round. The knockdown appeared to shift momentum firmly in his favor, but he was unable to close out the bout before Muradov regrouped.

Why it matters

• Muradov claims a major European promotion's light heavyweight title at 36, adding a championship belt to a lengthy professional résumé
• The dramatic back-and-forth narrative — Muradov knocked down, then responding with a second-round stoppage — raises his profile heading into any future title defenses
• OKTAGON's light heavyweight division now has a new champion who blends striking volume with a credible grappling threat, presenting a complex stylistic challenge for future contenders