Nursulton Ruziboev didn’t need long to remind everyone why he’s one of the most dangerous finishers in the UFC.
Competing in the 50th fight of his professional career, Ruziboev overwhelmed Andrey Pulyaev from the opening bell, turning an early takedown into complete domination before locking up a first-round choke to earn another emphatic victory at UFC Baku on Saturday.
Round 1 – Ruziboev came out firing, opening the fight with a teep kick before immediately taking the center of the cage. Pulyaev stayed on the outside, throwing lunging left hands as he looked to keep Ruziboev at range, but the veteran never stopped marching forward.
When Pulyaev threw a body kick, Ruziboev caught it and turned it into an easy takedown. Pulyaev worked his way back to the fence and got to his feet, but Ruziboev stayed glued to him with a tight body lock, mixing in knees to the back of the legs.
Once they got back to the middle of the cage, Ruziboev wasted no time taking Pulyaev’s back and dragging him down. He locked in both hooks and started chipping away with punches, patiently setting up the finish. With more than half the round still to go, it felt like it was only a matter of time.
Ruziboev kept peppering Pulyaev with punches, forcing him to defend until the opening finally came. Pulyaev fought the hands as long as he could, but Ruziboev slipped in the short choke and squeezed until his opponent went unconscious.
It was a dominant performance from Nursulton Ruziboev, who celebrated the milestone 50th professional MMA fight with another emphatic finish.
Official Result: Nursulton Ruziboev def. Andrey Pulyaev via R1 SUB (RNC), 3:58
