Azamat Murzakanov, head-and-shoulders portrait
The Professional

Azamat Murzakanov

Light Heavyweight
Southpaw
Heavy-handed finisher
Record Record: 16-1-0
Wins
16
Losses
1
Draws
0
12KO/TKO
1Sub
3Dec
View full record ↓

Vitals

Height, reach, and career background.

Age37
Height1.78 m
Reach182 cm
Stance StanceWhich side a fighter leads from — a striking term, not a religious one. Orthodox: right-handed, left foot and hand forward (the common default). Southpaw: the mirror image, right side forward (usually a left-hander). Switch: changes between the two during a fight.Southpaw
NationalityRussia
TeamK Dojo Warrior Tribe · Fairfield
Weight classLight Heavyweight
Active2010–present

Record

Tap any fight for the breakdown.

LossTKO
Opponent: Paulo Costahead kickR3 1:23
UFC 327
11 Apr 2026
WinTKO
Opponent: Aleksandar RakicpunchesR1 3:11
UFC 321
25 Oct 2025
WinTKO
Opponent: Brendson Ribeirosubmission to punchesR1 3:25
UFC 316
7 Jun 2025
WinKO
Opponent: Alonzo MenifieldpunchesR2 3:18
UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov
3 Aug 2024

After a year away, Murzakanov returned with one of his best UFC performances by systematically beating up Menifield and finishing him in the second round. The knockout showed that the inactivity had not dulled his timing and earned him another performance bonus.

Key moments

  • Knocked out Alonzo Menifield with punches at 3:18 of round two.
  • The win earned Murzakanov a Performance of the Night bonus.
  • It came in his first fight since the April 2023 decision over Dustin Jacoby.
WinDEC
Opponent: Dustin JacobyunanimousR3 5:00
UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Allen
15 Apr 2023
WinTKO
Opponent: Devin ClarkpunchesR3 1:18
UFC Fight Night: Vera vs. Cruz
13 Aug 2022

Murzakanov outclassed Clark over three rounds in San Diego and finally broke him down with body work in the third. A left hook to the body folded Clark, and Murzakanov swarmed with punches to force the stoppage.

Key moments

  • Controlled the fight with cleaner striking and enough grappling to keep Clark guessing.
  • Came close to a finish before finally closing it in round three.
  • A left hook to the body set up the finishing barrage at 1:18 of the third.
WinKO
Opponent: Tafon Nchukwiflying kneeR3 0:44
UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Ankalaev
12 Mar 2022

Early in the third, Murzakanov hurt him with a left hook and then ended the fight with a clean jumping knee.

Key moments

  • Made his UFC debut on the Vegas 50 prelims.
  • Nchukwi landed body kicks and had a strong second round.
  • A left hook changed the fight before the flying-knee knockout at 0:44 of round three.
  • Earned a Performance of the Night bonus.
WinTKO
Opponent: Matheus ScheffelpunchesR1 3:00
Dana White's Contender Series 37
31 Aug 2021
WinKO
Opponent: Mohammad FakhreddinepunchesR1 3:37
Brave CF 29
15 Nov 2019

Murzakanov capped a busy night in Bahrain by knocking out Fakhreddine in the Brave CF 29 main event. The finish crowned him in the featured title fight and closed the year with another emphatic stoppage.

Key moments

  • Brave CF 29 main-event title fight in Bahrain.
  • Knocked out Fakhreddine at 3:37 of round one.
  • Second win of the night after also beating Guto Inocente on the same card.
WinDEC
Opponent: Guto InocenteunanimousR3 5:00
Brave CF 29
15 Nov 2019

Earlier on the Brave CF 29 card, Murzakanov handled former UFC and kickboxing veteran Guto Inocente over three rounds. The decision win gave him a meaningful name on the regional scene before the later title-fight knockout of Fakhreddine.

Key moments

  • Beat Inocente by unanimous decision over fifteen minutes.
  • Faced a natural heavyweight with major kickboxing experience.
  • First fight of a two-win night at Brave CF 29.
  • Set up the later main-event finish over Fakhreddine.
WinTKO
Opponent: Georgy SakaevpunchesR1 1:37
ACB 57
15 Apr 2017
WinKO
Opponent: Andre MunizpunchR1 0:50
United Caucasian FC 1
2 Oct 2016
WinSUB
Opponent: Bogdan Bulakhneck crankR1 0:35
Fight Club Gladiator 4
23 Jul 2016
WinTKO
Opponent: Eric Ellerbeedoctor stoppageR1 1:52
Global Proving Ground 24
14 May 2016

Murzakanov's trip to Global Proving Ground ended with another rapid stoppage when damage forced the doctor to wave off Ellerbee in the first round. The result added a U. S.

Key moments

  • Doctor stoppage came at 1:52 of round one.
  • Forced the finish through early damage rather than a clean one-shot knockout.
  • Won on an American regional card before returning to Russia.
WinDEC
Opponent: Alexey SidorenkounanimousR2 5:00
Fight Nights Global 42
23 Oct 2015
WinTKO
Opponent: Alec HoobenpunchesR1 0:20
Ring of Combat 51
5 Jun 2015
WinKO
Opponent: Anzor KhakimovpunchR1 0:10
ProFC 13
13 Feb 2010

The Read

Style, strengths, and defining traits.

Murzakanov fights like a compact power puncher in a division full of taller men, stepping in from the southpaw stance and trusting his timing to close distance violently. The offense is built around the left hand and short finishing bursts, but his defensive value also comes from how rarely he gives clean grappling entries away.

His UFC rise was defined by patience between layoffs and almost no wasted appearances once he made the walk. The undefeated run through Jacoby, Menifield, Ribeiro and Rakic put him into the top ten, and even the first loss to Paulo Costa still reinforced that he belongs in the ranked light-heavyweight tier.