The Ultimate Fighter 33 Cast Breakdown: Flyweight

Furkatbek Yokubov
Uzbekistan
30-years-old
15-4
80% finish rate (2 KO/TKOs, 6 Submissions)
BFC flyweight champion
Combined opponents’ record: 39-35

Yokubov enters The Ultimate Fighter 33 fresh off a highlight-reel wheel-kick knockout in LFA. Though he once endured a three-fight skid—one loss to a former UFC fighter and another to a current UFC contender—he has since rebounded impressively, winning nine of his last ten fights, including a bout in Karate Combat. During that stretch, he finished all his opponents inside two rounds, made his LFA debut, and captured a title in BFC. Simply put, he’s been on a tear.

With extensive combat sports experience, Yokubov has competed in 18 MMA fights, numerous kickboxing bouts, and even a professional boxing match. His accolades speak for themselves: a three-time kickboxing world champion, two-time Asian champion, five-time international champion, and ten-time national champion. He’s an undeniably talented fighter.

On the feet, Yokubov is a high-volume striker, seamlessly throwing punches and kicks in combination. He has the power to land a devastating overhand or put opponents out with a head kick. Surprisingly, despite his striking pedigree, his wrestling and grappling may be even stronger.

The biggest question mark surrounding Yokubov is his ability to handle adversity. Every time he’s faced a step up in competition, he has fallen short. From what I’ve seen, he struggles under pressure and tends to fade when things don’t go his way. TUF 33 presents a crucial opportunity for him to prove he belongs among the top flyweights and can rise to the occasion against elite competition.

For Yokubov, the hardest part of TUF will be being away from his family, including his young daughter. “Now more than one month without her, that’s a hard one. Fighting I think is easy: you close the cage, let’s fight. And then it’s easy. Outside the fight, thinking about the daughter, family, that is hard.”