Asu Abaiuly Almabayev, born on January 25, 1994, in Janatalap, Kazakhstan, is a professional mixed martial artist who fights in the UFC's Flyweight division (125 lb). He stands 5 feet 4 inches tall with a 65-inch reach and is an orthodox fighter who trains out of the Dar Pro Team in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Almabayev entered professional MMA in 2013 and, as of February 2025, maintains a record of 21 victories and 2 losses (21-2-0). He has three knockouts and nine submissions to his name.
Almabayev's journey in mixed martial arts began when he was five years old. He acquired skills in karate, boxing, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu during his childhood. Almabayev made his UFC debut on August 5, 2023, defeating Ode' Osbourne via a second-round submission to receive the Performance of the Night bonus. Since then, he has also beaten formidable contenders like C.J. Vergara, Jose Johnson, and Matheus Nicolau. As of February 2025, Almabayev is ranked #8 in UFC flyweight and is scheduled to face Manel Kape in a flyweight bout on March 1, 2025, for UFC Fight Night 253.
Asu Almabayev nationality
Asu 'Zulfikar' Almabayev is of Kazakh nationality. Almabayev was born on January 25, 1994, in Zhantalap, Kazakhstan.
Almabayev was raised by his grandparents until the age of ten. He began wrestling at five and later moved with his family to Almaty, where he trained in karate, boxing, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. While in Almaty, he worked at a market where his parents had a small shop, continuing the job until he was 23. Almabayev became a BJJ champion in Kazakhstan and Asia but ultimately chose MMA, after watching it on TV during college.
Asu Almabayev's career before UFC
Asu Almabayev made his professional MMA debut on June 1, 2013, where he defeated Vadim Buseev via a unanimous decision. After a three-year layoff, he made his comeback in 2016 and won multiple fights before two successive losses in 2017.
From there, he went on a 13-fight winning streak in several promotions, such as ACB, Alash Pride, Fight Nights Global, Naiza, M-1 Global, and Brave CF. He won the Interim M-1 Global Flyweight Championship in 2019. In 2021, at Brave CF, he made his debut and won four in a row, two of them by rear-naked choke finish. On August 5, 2023, he made his debut in the UFC with a record of 17-2-0.
FAQs on Asu Almabayev's Nationality
A. Asu Almabayev hails from Kazakhstan.
A. Asu Almabayev was born in Janatalap, Kazakhstan.
A. As of February 2025, Asu Almabayev is 31 years old.
A. Manel Kape is Asu Almabayev's next opponent. They will square off on March 1, 2025.
