Navajo Stirling Record: 11-0-0

Octagon rise

Stirling made his promotional debut in December 2024, outpointing Tuco Tokkos over three rounds by unanimous decision to move to a flawless start in the UFC. He returned in May 2025 on the UFC 315 card in Montreal, again going the distance and earning a unanimous-decision win over the experienced Ivan Erslan. In September 2025 he took a clear step up in competition against Rodolfo Bellato and handled him over three rounds for another unanimous decision, signaling he could win measured, championship-rounds-style fights against ranked-caliber opposition.

Statement finish

In March 2026 Stirling delivered his most emphatic UFC performance to date, stopping Bruno Lopes by second-round TKO with punches and elbows. The finish moved him to 9-0 and underlined that his early decisions were a matter of patience rather than a lack of power. He is now scheduled to meet veteran Ion Cutelaba in June 2026, a matchup against a durable, dangerous gatekeeper that represents the toughest test of his young Octagon tenure.

Fighting style

Stirling is a long, composed striker who uses his height and 79-inch reach to control range and pick opponents apart from the outside, a product of his deep kickboxing and Muay Thai background at City Kickboxing. Five of his nine wins have come by knockout for a 56 percent finish rate, but the other four arrived by decision, showing he is comfortable banking rounds and grinding out victories when the finish is not there. He has yet to be seriously troubled at any range, and his patience under pressure is a defining trait. The open questions for a fighter this early in his career remain his grappling depth and how he handles adversity, since he has not yet faced a true crisis inside the Octagon.

Career highlights

• Perfect UFC start — won his first four Octagon bouts to push his overall professional record to 9-0, establishing himself as one of the light heavyweight division's brightest prospects.
• Contender Series knockout — stopped Phillip Latu in the second round to earn his UFC contract and enter the promotion undefeated.
• Breakthrough finish over Bruno Lopes — ended a 2026 bout by second-round TKO, his most decisive UFC win and proof of the power behind his patient, range-based game.