Azamat Murzakanov Record: 16-1-0

Rise through the light heavyweight ranks

Inside the Octagon, Murzakanov turned every appearance into a highlight. He opened with a third-round flying-knee knockout of Tafon Nchukwi in March 2022, then ground down the durable Devin Clark for a third-round TKO that August. He showed he could go the distance against a tough veteran, taking a unanimous decision over Dustin Jacoby in April 2023, before returning to his bread and butter with a second-round knockout of Alonzo Menifield in August 2024. The momentum carried into 2025, where he needed just one round to dispatch Brendson Ribeiro at UFC 316 and, more notably, stopped ranked contender Aleksandar Rakić with a first-round TKO at UFC 321 – a statement win that pushed his unbeaten streak to 16–0 and into the division's title picture.

First professional loss

That perfect record finally fell in April 2026. At UFC 327, Murzakanov was stopped by Paulo Costa via third-round head-kick TKO, the only blemish on an otherwise unbroken career and his first defeat in 17 professional fights.

Fighting style

Murzakanov is a knockout artist with a grappling-rich foundation. Of his 16 wins, 12 have come by KO or TKO – an 81% finish rate that ranks among the most fearsome at 205 pounds. The southpaw blends crisp, patient boxing with an army hand-to-hand combat and sambo base, letting him threaten finishes both standing and in the clinch, where his flying-knee KO of Nchukwi showcased his creativity. His takedown defense and physical strength let him keep fights where his power matters most. The one demonstrated vulnerability arrived late: a head kick from Costa exposed that even a relentless finisher can be caught when the level of competition climbs to the elite tier.

Career highlights

• 16–0 to start his career — Murzakanov reeled off sixteen straight professional wins, one of the longest unbeaten runs in the light heavyweight division before his first loss.
• Signature finishes over ranked competition — first-round stoppages of Aleksandar Rakić and Brendson Ribeiro in 2025 vaulted him into the divisional title conversation.
• 81% finish rate — twelve of his sixteen victories came by knockout, earning him a reputation as one of the most dangerous strikers at 205 pounds.