Azamat Bakytov of Kazakhstan makes UFC BJJ debut

Unlike the main UFC promotion, UFC BJJ events are held under no-gi Brazilian jiu-jitsu rules.

In his UFC BJJ debut, Bakytov faced Australia’s Thomas David in a middleweight bout that ended in a draw.

Bakytov previously competed in mixed martial arts and Kazakhstan’s Nomad Wrestling tournaments, which feature athletes from different wrestling disciplines. Meanwhile, the bout marked David’s first appearance in four years, as he is now primarily working as a UFC cornerman.

The UFC BJJ project was launched in June 2025. This event marked the eighth tournament in the series, all of which have been held at UFC Meta Apex in Las Vegas.

Titles have already been awarded in five men’s and two women’s weight divisions. The middleweight title is currently held by Brazil’s Ronaldo Junior, a former IBJJF world champion.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) had released the list of athletes who will compete in sport climbing at the Aichi–Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.