Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Matt Erickson

Video: Asu Almabaev puts flyweights on notice, taps Ode Osbourne at UFC on ESPN 50

The UFC may have a new flyweight star on its hands after Saturday.

Asu Almabaev (18-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) wasn’t exactly overlooked ahead of his promotional debut at UFC on ESPN 50 in Nashville, Tenn. He was a 2-1 betting favorite against Ode Osbourne (12-6 MMA, 4-4 UFC) in their curtain jerker at Bridgestone Arena.

But the 29-year-old from Kazakhstan, who has promised to be a UFC champion by 2025, looked smooth and relaxed when he took Osbourne down in the second round, took his back, and squeezed his way to a rear-naked choke tap at the 3:11 mark of the frame.

The win was Almabaev’s 14th straight and second straight by rear-naked choke after his Brave CF final fight in November 2022.

Check out Almabaev’s finish of Osbourne below.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 50.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.