Not lengthy after he moved to 3-0 within the UFC, Asu Almabayev says he’s received his subsequent task.
Almabayev (20-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) on Monday posted on social media to say he’s preventing Matheus Nicolau (19-4-1 MMA, 7-3 UFC) this fall. Though UFC officers haven’t formally introduced the flyweight battle, Almabayev posted that it’s set for Oct. 19 at an occasion anticipated to be a Struggle Night time on the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Almabayev, from Kazakhstan, in June received for the sixteenth straight time when he outworked Jose Johnson in Las Vegas. He was greater than a 5-1 favourite within the battle. That win got here on the heels of a choice over CJ Vergara in March in one other battle during which he was closely favored.
These odds surged within the wake of his UFC debut in August 2023, a second-round submission of Ode Osbourne. The previous Courageous CF standout now will battle for the third time in 2024 in a flyweight division that’s hurting for brand new contenders for Alexandre Pantoja’s title.
Brazil’s Nicolau may have been a kind of contenders not way back when he was on a six-fight successful streak, together with his first 4 within the UFC. However in his two most up-to-date fights, he’s been knocked out by current title challengers Brandon Royval and Alex Perez for the primary skid of his profession.
After his win over Johnson in June, which included a highlight-reel head kick that landed, however didn’t take Johnson out, Almabayev referred to as out Kai Kara-France, however that matchup must wait. Kara-France meets current title challenger Steve Erceg in three weeks in Perth, Australia, at UFC 305.
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