Asu Almabayev Wins All-Stars Title at ACBJJ 22, Defeats Khalim Nuzruloev

Asu Almabayev added a grappling title to his combat sports resume on August 30, claiming the All-Stars championship at ACB Jiu-Jitsu 22 with a judges' decision victory over Khalim Nuzruloev in what marked a debut appearance at the promotion for both competitors.

Almabayev, nicknamed "Zulfikar," controlled the match from start to finish, building his winning margin through sweeps, high-amplitude throws, and a series of submission attempts that kept Nuzruloev constantly under pressure. The performance was particularly impressive given its timing — it came just one week after Almabayev had competed in freestyle wrestling at the RAF tournament in the United States, suggesting the Kazakhstani athlete is operating across multiple grappling disciplines at an elite level.

The 32-year-old trains out of DAR Pro Team and carries a 24-3-0 professional MMA record while ranked seventh in the flyweight division. Standing five-foot-four with a 65-inch reach, he is a compact and technically rounded competitor whose MMA numbers reflect a multi-dimensional game. He averages 4.46 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.5 submission attempts per 15 minutes, underlining a grappling-heavy approach that translates clearly to competition formats like ACB JJ. His striking accuracy sits at 50 percent, with 2.31 significant strikes landed per minute, rounding out a well-balanced profile.

Why it matters

• The ACB JJ All-Stars title adds a high-profile grappling credential to Almabayev's competitive portfolio ahead of any future MMA matchups.
• Competing in wrestling and submission grappling in back-to-back weeks signals strong conditioning and cross-discipline ambition heading into the back half of 2026.
• A dominant debut performance in the promotion raises his visibility among grappling audiences beyond the flyweight MMA rankings.