Austin Lingo Record: 9-4-0

UFC run

Lingo debuted at UFC 247 in February 2020, dropping a competitive three-round unanimous decision to Youssef Zalal in a tough first test at the top level. He answered with the kind of resilience prospects need, returning in January 2021 to win a unanimous decision over Jacob Kilburn at UFC on ABC 1, then backing it up in August 2021 with another decision victory, this one over Luis Saldaña at a UFC Fight Night. Those back-to-back wins pushed his UFC record to 2-1 and positioned him as a featherweight on the rise.

The tougher stretch

The back half of Lingo's UFC tenure proved unforgiving. In March 2023 he was submitted by rear-naked choke in the second round, then in July 2023 he dropped a three-round unanimous decision, a pair of setbacks that cost him his roster spot. He returned to the regional scene in August 2024 at Fury FC 95: Lingo vs. Teague, but the comeback bid ended in a second-round loss by knees. That run of results – three losses in four fights – marked a difficult chapter after his strong start, leaving him to rebuild outside the UFC.

Fighting style

Lingo is a well-rounded fighter built on a striking base, with a taekwondo black belt informing his footwork and kicking and a developing jiu-jitsu game underneath it. His record reflects that balance: of his nine wins, four came by decision, three by knockout and two by submission, a 56% finish rate that shows he can end fights but is equally comfortable banking rounds. The honest read on his career is that the step up in competition exposed gaps – he absorbed a knockout, a submission and two decision losses, and his finishing rate dipped against elite opposition. At his best, though, he is a sharp, technical featherweight capable of out-pointing or stopping regional-level competition.

Career highlights

• 7-0 prospect run — opened his career unbeaten on the Texas regional scene, headlining an LFA card along the way.
• Reached the UFC — earned a spot on the sport's biggest stage and went 2-1 across his first three Octagon appearances.
• Two-sport martial artist — carries a taekwondo black belt and a BJJ purple belt, the foundation of his well-rounded skill set.