Josh Culibao Record: 11-4-1

Early UFC adversity

The step up was unforgiving. Culibao debuted in February 2020 and was stopped by second-round TKO by the rangy Jalin Turner, the first loss of his career. He steadied himself in October 2020 in a back-and-forth split draw with Charles Jourdain, then found his footing in May 2021 with a unanimous-decision win over the experienced Shayilan Nuerdanbieke.

Building momentum

Culibao’s most productive stretch came across 2022 and 2023. He outpointed Seung Woo Choi by split decision at UFC 275 in June 2022, then delivered the signature finish of his UFC run in February 2023 at UFC 284, submitting Melsik Baghdasaryan with a second-round rear-naked choke. The wave broke against elite competition: in July 2023 he dropped a clear unanimous decision to unbeaten contender Lerone Murphy.

Late-career slide

Culibao’s run closed on a rough patch of close fights. He lost a split decision to Danny Silva in March 2024, then dropped another split decision to Ricardo Ramos at UFC 305 in August 2024 – a third straight defeat that ended his UFC stint, even as the competitiveness of those bouts underscored how fine the margins were.

Fighting style

Culibao is a well-rounded featherweight whose game splits cleanly between finishing power and grinding decisions: of his 11 wins, five are by knockout, one by submission and five by decision, for a finish rate around 55%, with a draw also on his ledger. A taekwondo base feeds dynamic kicking and a long-limbed striking arsenal, while his grappling produced the choke of Baghdasaryan. His vulnerabilities are clear from the record – three of his four losses came by decision in tight fights, suggesting he can be out-pointed in the championship rounds against the division’s sharpest operators.

Career highlights

• Unbeaten regional run — reached the UFC on the back of an 8-0 start across the Australian circuit.
• Signature UFC finish — submitted Melsik Baghdasaryan by rear-naked choke at UFC 284, his standout Octagon moment.
• Fan favorite — a Filipino-Australian “Kuya” whose action fights and personality made him a popular figure during his UFC tenure.