With Antonio Trocoli dropping off Saturday’s UFC Seattle card, it was middleweight Nick Klein making his debut opposite Mansur Abdul-Malik at the Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday.
Klein had won on the Contender Series in 2024, as had Abdul-Malik, who made his promotional debut last November with a Performance of the Night-winning knockout of Dusko Todorovic.
Round one kicked off with Klein shooting for a takedown the moment Abdul-Malik closed the distance, but Abdul-Malik sprawled effectively. Pressing forward, Abdul-Malik kept Klein on the back foot while Klein relied on kicks to maintain range. Abdul-Malik’s strikes were drawing reactions, though they were wild at times. He applied steady pressure but got caught by a spinning back fist, briefly putting him on wobbly legs. However, instead of capitalizing with strikes, Klein opted to pursue a takedown. Abdul-Malik defended well against the cage, and Klein failed to secure the finish.
In round two, Klein resumed his low stance, anticipating a takedown attempt. Abdul-Malik lunged in sloppily on multiple occasions, allowing Klein to defend and press him against the fence. After they separated, Klein looked visibly fatigued. He continued throwing kicks, though Abdul-Malik wasn’t offering much offense in return. Each time Abdul-Malik tried to load up on a big shot, Klein managed to tie him up.
With just over two minutes left, they collided, and Abdul-Malik essentially shoved Klein to the mat. Draped over Klein’s back, Abdul-Malik unleashed a relentless barrage of right hands. Klein was in serious trouble, covering up as knees and follow-up punches rained down, forcing the referee to step in and stop the fight.
After the win, Mansur Abdul-Malik opted to play matchmaker, not for himself but for Klein. Suggesting his opponent had endured “a beating he didn’t deserve,” he called for a fight between Klein and original opponent Trocoli.
Official Result: Mansur Abdul-Malik def. Nick Klein by TKO (punches and knees), Round 2, 3:24
