Mansur Abdul-Malik

Abdul-Malik's Seattle loss was the first clear check on the hype curve because Belgaroui extended the fight and then finished him late in round three. It mattered beyond the result itself: Abdul-Malik had looked like a front-running destroyer on the regional scene and early in the UFC, but this was the first time a seasoned striker made him pay once the fight became layered and uncomfortable.

Key moments

• Lost to Yousri Belgaroui by third-round TKO at 3:39.
• The defeat was Abdul-Malik's first professional loss.
• Belgaroui forced him beyond the quick-finishing script that had defined most of his rise.

Before the Belgaroui setback, Abdul-Malik had gone back to looking like himself against Trocoli by forcing an early scramble and finishing the fight in 69 seconds. That was important because it steadied the narrative after the Brundage draw and reminded everyone that his athletic burst is still a real UFC weapon when he gets momentum first.

Key moments

• Submitted Antonio Trocoli 1:09 into round one.
• The quick finish put Abdul-Malik back in the win column after the Brundage draw.
• It reinforced how dangerous he remains when the fight starts on his terms.

The Brundage bout was the first result on Abdul-Malik's ledger that really forced interpretation instead of celebration. The contest ended as a draw after the late sequence in round three, and the significance was that it exposed some of the chaos and decision-making issues that can appear once he does not score the clean early separation he wants.

Key moments

• Fought Cody Brundage to a draw after the unusual ending late in round three.
• It was Abdul-Malik's first non-win as a professional.
• The fight raised real questions about how he handles messy momentum swings.

Abdul-Malik showed a more complete version of the usual threat against Klein, staying dangerous after the first round and closing the fight in the second. The stoppage mattered because it showed he could still finish once the opening blast cooled off a little, which is a useful trait for any middleweight prospect trying to move past pure first-round bully status.

Key moments

• Stopped Nick Klein by second-round TKO at 3:24.
• The finish extended Abdul-Malik's unbeaten run at that stage.
• It showed he could carry finishing danger beyond the opening round.

The Todorovic fight was a sharp early UFC statement because Abdul-Malik did not need long to overwhelm an experienced opponent with knees and punches. It was exactly the kind of performance that accelerates expectations: fast, physical, and convincing enough to make the step up look easier than it usually is.

Key moments

• Finished Duško Todorović by first-round TKO at 2:44.
• The win gave Abdul-Malik a meaningful UFC name on the record quickly.
• He used his athletic pressure to force another short fight.

Abdul-Malik had to work harder than usual for his contract-winning finish against Wes Schultz, but the adjustment was part of why the performance mattered. Sherdog scored the first round for Abdul-Malik, then tracked Schultz forcing awkward clinches and body-lock work early in round two before Abdul-Malik broke free, won the final scramble and closed the fight from mount with elbows and hammerfists.

Key moments

• UFC's official results page lists the stoppage at 3:55 of round two, while Sherdog specifies the finish as elbows and punches.
• Sherdog noted that Abdul-Malik reached the second round for the first time in his professional career.
• Schultz briefly dragged the fight into clinch-heavy territory in round two before Abdul-Malik reversed the momentum.
• The finish came after Abdul-Malik took full mount and rained down elbows until Herb Dean stopped it.

Abdul-Malik's lone LFA appearance lasted just 100 seconds before he overwhelmed Allan St-Gelais on the mat. Tapology records the finish as ground-and-pound, and the quick stoppage kept his unbeaten run intact at 5-0 heading into Contender Series.

Key moments

• Tapology lists the official finish as ground-and-pound at 1:40 of round one.
• The bout aired on the LFA 176 main card in Phoenix.
• The win moved Abdul-Malik from 4-0 to 5-0 as a professional.

Abdul-Malik's step up to Shogun Fights 27 at light heavyweight changed little about his approach: he pressured Donelei Benedetto early and finished him with punches inside two minutes. The result pushed him to 4-0 and showed he could carry the same first-round violence even when he moved up in weight.

Key moments

• Tapology and Sherdog both list the stoppage at exactly 2:00 of round one.
• The matchup was booked at light heavyweight on the Shogun Fights 27 main card.
• The win advanced Abdul-Malik's record from 3-0 to 4-0.

Abdul-Malik's second pro win came in charity-show surroundings, but it followed the same fast-start pattern as the rest of his early run. Sherdog's event listing records a first-round guillotine choke over Brexton Everett in 72 seconds, keeping the finishing streak intact.

Key moments

• Sherdog lists the finish as a guillotine choke at 1:12 of round one.
• The bout was contested at catchweight on the Jonathan Ogden Foundation card in Hunt Valley, Maryland.
• The win moved Abdul-Malik to 3-0 as a professional.

Abdul-Malik needed only 45 seconds to finish Zion Tomlinson on the Shogun Fights 25 main card. It was his second professional bout and second first-round stoppage, reinforcing how little time regional opponents were getting once he opened up.

Key moments

• Sherdog lists the official finish as a first-round TKO by punches at 0:45.
• The fight took place at middleweight on the Shogun Fights 25 main card.
• The result pushed Abdul-Malik to 2-0.

Abdul-Malik's professional debut ended with a late first-round knockout of Cole Jordan at XMMA 3 in Miami. Sherdog records the finish as punches at 4:06, and the debut win set the tone for the first-round finishing streak that defined his early climb.

Key moments

• Sherdog lists the official result as a knockout by punches at 4:06 of round one.
• The fight took place at middleweight on the XMMA 3: Vice City card in Miami.
• It was Abdul-Malik's first professional bout and first professional win.