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Monthly Report | June 2026
Handing Out Imaginary Hardware For The Final Month Of The First Half
We’re in the hyperbole business, but there is no exaggeration when I say that June was one of the most entertaining months of action inside the Octagon in recent memory.
There were 44 bouts that produced 30 finishes and a couple absolute bangers, including a handful of results that will surely find their way into the slate of mid-year awards. Obviously, the magnitude and spectacle of UFC Freedom 250 ramped things up a little, but the trio of traditional Fight Night events around the historic White House event all delivered as well.
Let’s hand out some hardware, shall we?
Breakout Performance: Bo Nickal
Nickal’s performance at UFC Freedom 250 was the kind of showing he needed to truly elevate himself into the conversation amongst the ascending names in the middleweight division.
Paired off with Kyle Daukaus, who had earned a pair of rapid wins since returning to the Octagon last summer, Nickal flashed his elite wrestling skills with a powerful scoop double-leg takedown in the center of the Octagon early in the contest. After getting stood up from inside Daukaus’ guard, the former Penn State standout continued to show his development in the striking department. A front kick up the middle just missed Daukaus’ chin, but the swift left hook, right hook combo that followed found the mark, putting the Philadelphia native on the deck where Nickal pounced and pounded out the finish.
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One of the questions going into the first start of Nickal’s fourth year on the UFC roster was if we were going to see the three-time National champion wrestler take a pronounced step forward in 2026, and he answered in resounding fashion. Beating Daukaus was a statement win and carried Nickal into the top-15 where even tougher assignments and greater opportunities await.
Honorable Mentions: Ketlen Souza, Chelsea Chandler, Edgar Chairez, Alessandro Costa, Iwo Baraniewski, Shane Collins, Levan Chokheli, Mitch Raposo, Kevin Borjas, Murtazali Magomedov, Christian Rodriguez, Kaan Ofli, Nursulton Ruziboev, Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev, Matheus Camilo
Submission of the Month: Murtazali Magomedov
Murtazali Magomedov Scores First-Round Twister In Debut | UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi
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Murtazali Magomedov Scores First-Round Twister In Debut | UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi
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We’ve Got a Twister!
There have been some great debuts and some terrific submissions so far this year, but as far as combos go, it’s going to be hard to top this one. Murtazali Magomedov touched down in Las Vegas for his debut against Melsik Baghdasaryan with an unblemished record, a 100-percent finishing rate, and a bunch of hype after showing out on Season 9 of Dana White’s Contender Series. He left with an unblemished record, a 100-percent finishing rate, even more hype, and quite possibly the best submission finish of the year.
After closing the distance and putting hands on Baghdasaryan, Magomedov took the fight to the ground, where he quickly found his way to the back. Baghdasaryan defended well and get Magomedov’s shoulders on the canvas, but as he went to turn inside the body triangle in order to land on top, the newcomer basically locked him in place and attacked a modified twister, torquing the upper and lower halves of his body in different directions, forcing “The Gun” to understandably tap.
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It’s just the fourth time someone has hit a twister inside the Octagon, and while there were a bunch of other truly impressive submissions this month — including a Suloev stretch in Baku over the weekend — the speed and efficiency with which Magomedov attacked and finished this hold is what took it over the top for me. Just a brilliant finish that we will be speaking about more in the days to come… and then again come awards time at the end of the year too, I’m sure.
Honorable Mentions: Joanderson Brito vs Jordan Leavitt, Chandler vs Priscila Cachoeira, Chairez vs Bruno Silva, Bryce Mitchell vs Santiago Luna, Bia Mesquita vs Melissa Mullins, Rodriguez vs Hyder Amil, Ofli vs Javier Reyes, Ruziboev vs Andrey Pulyaev, Abus Magomedov vs Michal Oleksiejczuk, Asu Almabayev vs Charles Johnson
Knockout of the Month: Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev
Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev Knocks Out Walker In 8 Seconds | UFC Baku
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Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev Knocks Out Walker In 8 Seconds | UFC Baku
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Eight seconds.
If MMA ever decided to stop fights as soon as someone is clearly out, than Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev would likely hold the record for the fastest knockout in UFC history. As it stands, he still put Julius Walker away in eight seconds in Azerbaijan to add to his growing reputation as a menace in the light heavyweight division.
Here’s everything that happened in the fight: they touched gloves, Walker threw a naked, lazy low kick, and Yakhyaev countered with a right hand over his shoulder that twisted his chin. Crashing to the canvas shook him back to consciousness, where he saw a giant mauler raining down blows and the referee quickly rushing in to halt the action.
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As the person who previously suggested that the Season 8 graduating class from Dana White’s Contender Series has a chance to be the best collection of talent to emerge from the show, the group from Season 9 apparently took offense, because they have been on fire from the jump, with Yakhyaev joining Josh Hokit, Baisangur Susurkaev, Cam Rowston, and Iwo Baraniewski as five first-year talents making serious noise already.
Here’s the scariest thing about Yakhyaev’s win and “three wins in 3:33 combined” start to his UFC career: the dude is 25 years old, and his win over Walker was only his 10th professional appearance. While he hasn’t been facing the division’s elite, he’s been walloping whoever has been put in front of him thus far and clearly merits a considerable step up in competition. A spot in the top-10 by the end of the year does not feel out of the question at this point.
I expected him to win. I expected another impressive finish. I did not expect this. Kid is a stud.
Honorable Mentions: Souza vs Ariane Carnelossi, Costa vs Matt Schnell, Baraniewski vs Junior Tafa, Diego Lopes vs Steve Garcia, Nickal vs Kyle Daukaus, Mauricio Ruffy vs Michael Chandler, Sean O’Malley vs Aiemann Zahabi, Chokheli vs Leon Shahbazyan, Navajo Stirling vs Ion Cutelaba, Manel Kape vs Kyoji Horiguchi, Daniil Donchenko vs Theodor Berggren, Camilo vs Nazim Sadykhov, Rafael Fiziev vs Manuel Torres
Fight of the Month: Justin Gaethje vs Ilia Topuria
If this doesn’t end up being Fight of the Year, it means we’ve had at least one truly historic bout in the second half of 2026.
Even if you strip everything away and focus exclusively on the fight itself, this was an instant classic. The champion came out hunting and had Gaethje clearly hurt in the second round, roasting his midsection and seemingly on the brink of a finish. Then, Gaethje rallied, catching Topuria as he slowed, cranking up the intensity minute-by-minute and battering him to the point that his corner called it off after the fourth.
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Then you throw in the backdrop — The White House, UFC Freedom 250 — and the fact that this truly was Gaethje’s final chase to win the one title that had escaped him to this point in his career. Mix in that he became the first person to beat Topuria in the process and did it with style points, and you have the makings of a slam dunk Fight of the Year winner.
None of this should be surprising though: Gaethje is a two-time President’s Choice Fight of the Year winner has had a fight in the Top 10 of our annual staff awards each year that he’s been in the UFC save for 2022.
Honorable Mentions: Brendan Allen vs Edmen Shahbazyan, Raposo vs Allan Nascimento, Vinicius Oliveira vs Andre Fili
