The UFC has no plans to book a rematch between Ilimbek Akylbek and Mahammadali Osmanli following their TUF 34 Finale clash. The promotion is instead moving on from that matchup rather than running it back.
The UFC has decided against booking a rematch between Ilimbek Akylbek and Mahammadali Osmanli after the two met at the TUF 34 Finale, with the promotion opting to move both fighters forward rather than revisit that matchup.
Akylbek, 23, holds a professional record of 12-3 and competes out of an orthodox stance. The young fighter made it through The Ultimate Fighter 34 to reach the Finale, where his clash with Osmanli drew enough attention that a second bout might have seemed a logical next step.
Osmanli, 22, carries a record of 13-2 as a southpaw and represents one of the youngest prospects in the promotion's recent TUF pipeline. At just 22 years old with 15 professional bouts already behind him, the Azerbaijani fighter enters the UFC's roster with considerable experience for his age.
Why it matters
- Both fighters are in the early stages of their UFC careers and will now be pointed toward new opponents rather than each other
- The decision signals that the UFC views the TUF 34 Finale result as settled business, with roster-building taking priority over rematches
- A southpaw-orthodox dynamic between two young prospects in the same weight class could have drawn interest, but the promotion has closed the door on that possibility for now
