UFC Baku: Nursulton Ruziboev sleeps Andrey Pulyaev with vicious choke

Nursulton Ruziboev extended his recent resurgence in the UFC's middleweight division on Saturday at UFC Baku, securing his third consecutive victory with a devastating rear-naked choke submission over Andrey Pulyaev on the preliminary card.

Ruziboev imposed relentless pressure throughout the opening round, constantly hunting for chokes from top position. His persistence paid off at 3:58 of the first round when he locked in a rear-naked choke so tight that Pulyaev's eyes rolled back before the referee stopped the fight.

The 32-year-old's record now stands at 37–9–2 with two no-contests. His current winning streak includes submissions and decisions over Dustin Stoltzfus and Eric McConico. Despite the impressive run, Ruziboev's promotional record sits at 5–1; his sole UFC loss came to Joaquin Buckley at UFC St. Louis in May 2024 in a welterweight bout. His recent form suggests he has found his footing after struggling early in his UFC tenure.