Latest news with #Murzakanov
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Emotional Azamat Murzakanov starting to eye light heavyweight title talk after\u00a0UFC 316
Emotional Azamat Murzakanov starting to eye light heavyweight title talk after UFC 316 Show Caption Hide Caption UFC 316: Azamat Murzakanov post-fight interview UFC 316 winner Azamat Murzakanov spoke to MMA Junkie and reporters post-fight after his first-round TKO of Brendson Ribeiro. NEWARK, N.J. – Azamat Murzakanov met the media Saturday after his win over Brendson Ribeiro at UFC 316. Murzakanov (15-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) blasted Ribeiro (17-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) with a violent TKO on the preliminary card at Prudential Center. The win kept him perfect not just in the UFC, but overall. Murzakanov said there was a mix of emotion and relief after the win. He hadn't fought since a bonus-winning finish of Alonzo Menifield in August 2024. He was set to fight Johnny Walker until Walker pulled out and Ribeiro stepped in. But now that he's through his latest challenge, he's looking down the road and wondering about an entrance into the title picture at light heavyweight – particularly if he can get a couple more wins in 2025. 'I'd like to fight anyone who can get me closer to a title fight,' Murzakanov said. 'It doesn't matter who that person is.' Check out Murzakanov's post-fight news conference in the video above.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC 316 video: Azamat Murzakanov pummels Brendson Ribeiro for quick TKO win
NEWARK, N.J. – Azamat Murzakanov finishes fights, even when he's out of action for 10 months at a time. At UFC 316 on Saturday, Murzakanov (15-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) finished Brendson Ribeiro with punches at 3:25 of Round 1 on the prelims at Prudential Center. Murzakanov put Ribeiro on roller skates and charged for the finish. Saturday's fight was Murzakanov's first since he was suspended for a positive drug test that was traced back to a tainted supplement. Since his UFC signing in 2021, Murzakanov has only competed five times – but has won all five and four by knockout. Ribeiro has a two-fight winning streak snapped. Up-to-the-minute UFC 316 results:
USA Today
12-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC books Johnny Walker vs. Azamat Murzakanov
Ranked light heavyweights will collide on May 17. At a UFC Fight Night event, Johnny Walker and Azamat Murzakanov will square off in a three-round battle. Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently informed MMA Junkie of the booking but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. The event has been publicly rumored by some fighters and their management groups to be slated for Qatar, though the promotion has yet to announce the card or its location. Walker (21-9 MMA, 7-6 UFC) aims to snap a two-fight skid that consists of knockout losses to current UFC light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev and perennial contender Volkan Oezdemir. Murzakanov (14-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) returns from a six-month drug test suspension that knocked him out of a UFC 309 showdown vs. Nikita Krylov in November. UFC antidoping program CSAD determined the positive drug test was due to a dietary supplement that did not have the banned substance listed on the label. Murzakanov enters the bout with UFC wins over Tafon Nchukwi, Devin Clark, Dustin Jacoby, and Alonzo Menifield. With the addition, the UFC Fight Night lineup for May 17 includes:
