Azamat Murzakanov wants a big name next.
The undefeated light heavyweight certainly looked worthy of a greater challenge after scoring a powerful second-round knockout of Alonzo Menifield at UFC Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
Watch Murzakanov’s closing combination below.
The win moved Murzakanov to 4-0 in the UFC and 14-0 overall as a pro. Afterwards, Murzakanov suggested that he’s ready for a top-5 opponent in the 205-pound division.
Just based on Saturday’s performance, it’s hard to argue that the Russian isn’t ready for a significant step up in competition. Murzakanov’s sharp boxing was on display as Menifield struggled to close the distance and get his own offense going. Menifield improved his output in the second, but just as it seemed like he might find an advantage, Murzakanov slammed a left hook into his jaw and followed with two more haymakers that sent Menifield tumbling.
Follow-up hammerfists sent Menifield’s mouthpiece spilling to the mat and referee Keith Peterson rushing in for the save. The official time of the stoppage was 3:18 into Round 2.
Menifield falls to 8-5-1 in the UFC after suffering back-to-back losses for the first time since 2020.
