Bekzat Almakhan’s stepping into the big leagues, folks. And boy, oh boy, talk about a tough welcome party. He’s squaring off against Umar Nurmagomedov. Undefeated, mind you. This showdown’s happening at UFC Fight Night 238 in none other than Las Vegas. Almakhan’s not just any fighter, though. He’s riding an eight-fight winning streak into this bantamweight clash.
Now, let’s talk about where this guy’s from. Almakhan hails from Uzynagash, Kazakhstan, and trains at Triumph Fights dojo. He’s not just playing around; he’s dominated in Europe and Asia. At 26, he’s already got 13 wins under his belt, most of them by knockout, technical knockout, or submission. And get this – seven of those victories were first-round finishes. His last fight? He floored Yan Ferraz with punches. That was back in November.
But wait, there’s more. Almakhan isn’t the only fresh face at this event. A.J. Cunningham, Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady, Vinicius de Oliveira, and Bernardo Sopai are also making their UFC debuts. Talk about a packed night.
Speaking of Sopai and de Oliveira, they’re going head-to-head in a bantamweight bout. Sopai, stepping in on super short notice, has never been stopped in his 13-fight career. His last win? A first-round submission against Geovane Vargas in December. On the flip side, de Oliveira earned his UFC spot by knocking out Victor Madrigal on Dana White’s Contender Series. “Lok Dog” is a former UAE Warriors champ and trains in Brazil.
Then there’s Al-Selwady. He’s facing Loik Radzhabov, a two-time Professional Fighters League finalist, in a lightweight match. Al-Selwady, coming off a big win against George Hardwick on DWCS, is on a five-fight winning streak. The guy’s only 28.
Lastly, A.J. Cunningham’s stepping in for Joel Alvarez on short notice. He’s up against Ludovit Klein in a lightweight prelim. Cunningham, an Arizona native, has won seven of his last nine fights. His most recent victory? A first-round knockout against Justice Lamperez in December.
So, there you have it. A night full of debuts, comebacks, and knockouts. Can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.