Asu Almabayev
Zulfikar
Kazakhstan
Out
Injury Undisclosed
Est. Return 4/1/2026
Won't face Brandon Moreno
Almabayev (undisclosed) won't be fighting Brandon Moreno at UFC Mexico on Feb. 28, according to Marcel Dorff of Eurosport.nl.
ANALYSIS
Almabayev was expected to be involved in the main event in Mexico, but those plans have been canceled, though the reasons remain unclear. This means Moreno will have to find a new opponent for this flyweight Feb. 28 bout.
Almabayev was expected to be involved in the main event in Mexico, but those plans have been canceled, though the reasons remain unclear. This means Moreno will have to find a new opponent for this flyweight Feb. 28 bout.
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Scheduled against former champion
Almabayev is scheduled to compete against Brandon Moreno in a flyweight fight at UFC Mexico on Feb. 28, MMA reporter Ariel Helwani reports.
ANALYSIS
After going 2-1 in 2025, Almabayev will begin his 2026 with a difficult challenge. Moreno is a multi-time UFC Flyweight Champion and ranked No. 4 in the promotion's flyweight rankings, meaning a win over him can boost Almabayev into the division's top-five. Almabayev's 2025 concluded with him finishing a top-10 contender in Alex Perez.
After going 2-1 in 2025, Almabayev will begin his 2026 with a difficult challenge. Moreno is a multi-time UFC Flyweight Champion and ranked No. 4 in the promotion's flyweight rankings, meaning a win over him can boost Almabayev into the division's top-five. Almabayev's 2025 concluded with him finishing a top-10 contender in Alex Perez.
Gets finish against top-10 opponent
Almabayev defeated Alex Perez via submission (guillotine choke) at 0:22 of Round 3 at UFC Qatar on Saturday.
ANALYSIS
With the scorecards likely tied 1-1 entering the final frame, Almabayev opened with a spinning wheel kick that stunned Perez and paved the way to the finish. With Perez clearly compromised, Almabayev jumped for a standing guillotine, and it was so tight that Perez had to tap out standing up. It was an impressive effort from a slight betting favorite, who has now won back-to-back fights and six of seven UFC bouts overall. Almabayev is closing in on title-implicating fights against top-5 opponents.
With the scorecards likely tied 1-1 entering the final frame, Almabayev opened with a spinning wheel kick that stunned Perez and paved the way to the finish. With Perez clearly compromised, Almabayev jumped for a standing guillotine, and it was so tight that Perez had to tap out standing up. It was an impressive effort from a slight betting favorite, who has now won back-to-back fights and six of seven UFC bouts overall. Almabayev is closing in on title-implicating fights against top-5 opponents.
Next fight scheduled
Almabayev is scheduled to compete against Alex Perez in a flyweight fight at UFC Qatar on Nov. 22, per Marcel Dorff of Eurosport.nl.
ANALYSIS
Almabayev is 1-1 in 2025, with his year starting off badly after Manel Kape knocked him out at UFC Vegas 103. The former bounced back by leaning on his wrestling to defeat Jose Ochoa. Almabayev will look to go 2-1 in 2025 by defeating Perez, a dangerous threat if healthy.
Almabayev is 1-1 in 2025, with his year starting off badly after Manel Kape knocked him out at UFC Vegas 103. The former bounced back by leaning on his wrestling to defeat Jose Ochoa. Almabayev will look to go 2-1 in 2025 by defeating Perez, a dangerous threat if healthy.
Leans on wrestling in victory
Almabayev defeated Jose Ochoa via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) at UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Abu Dhabi.
ANALYSIS
Almabayev is a one-dimensional wrestler. It can look quite ugly when his takedown attempts aren't landing, but when they are, like they were this evening, he's a threat in there. Almabayev fired off a whopping 16 tries, connecting on seven of them. Those seven shots turned into 9:26 worth of control time, all but assuring Ochoa had zero chance of winning a fight which went to the scorecards. Almabayev improves to 5-1 in the UFC, with the lone setback coming against a guy in Manel Kape that is likely to be fighting for the UFC Flyweight Championship in short order.
Almabayev is a one-dimensional wrestler. It can look quite ugly when his takedown attempts aren't landing, but when they are, like they were this evening, he's a threat in there. Almabayev fired off a whopping 16 tries, connecting on seven of them. Those seven shots turned into 9:26 worth of control time, all but assuring Ochoa had zero chance of winning a fight which went to the scorecards. Almabayev improves to 5-1 in the UFC, with the lone setback coming against a guy in Manel Kape that is likely to be fighting for the UFC Flyweight Championship in short order.
New opponent scheduled
Almabayev is scheduled to compete against Jose Ochoa in a flyweight fight at UFC Abu Dhabi on July 26, per Marcel Dorff of Eurosport.nl.
ANALYSIS
Almabayev and Ramazan Temirov were scheduled to fight at UFC Abu Dhabi. Temirov, without a disclosed problem, has withdrawn from their fight, so Almabayev has Ochoa next instead. Ochoa is coming off a strong knockout win over Cody Durden.
Almabayev and Ramazan Temirov were scheduled to fight at UFC Abu Dhabi. Temirov, without a disclosed problem, has withdrawn from their fight, so Almabayev has Ochoa next instead. Ochoa is coming off a strong knockout win over Cody Durden.