Bekzat Almakhan etched his name into the record books at UFC 315.
Facing the notoriously tough Canadian bantamweight veteran Brad Katona, Almakhan achieved a historic first: stopping Katona. He accomplished this by landing a perfectly timed uppercut in the initial round, resulting in a knockout victory.
Almakhan showcased exceptional striking accuracy throughout the brief contest. As Katona attempted one of his signature takedowns, Almakhan countered with a perfectly timed uppercut that instantly rendered Katona unconscious. A subsequent hammerfist prompted referee Jason Herzog to halt the bout just 64 seconds into the first round.
This victory marked a significant rebound for Almakhan, improving his record to 12-2. He had previously made a strong impression in his UFC debut against the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov, despite ultimately losing that fight via decision. With this win, Almakhan has now secured victories in 10 of his last 11 bouts.
Conversely, Katona`s record falls to 14-5, and he is now 1-3 since returning to the UFC after winning The Ultimate Fighter twice in 2023. Notably, this knockout loss is the first of his decade-long professional career.
