Final · 25 Jul 2026

Magomed Zaynukov defeats Damian Rzepecki by unanimous decision

UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Guskov

25 Jul 2026 · Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, AE

Decision · unanimousUnanimous decision

5:00

View fight recap

Zaynukov vs Rzepecki — Lightweight · Ankalaev vs. Guskov

What happened

The result, the defining moments, and what the verdict means.

A first-round eye poke paused the contest.

Zaynukov controlled the action with the depth of his striking offence.

Zaynukov won the unanimous decision.

Who Called It?

How the analysts' picks held up once the cage door closed.

Analyst picks: DFS By The Numbers Hit; AJ Hit; Michael Chiesa Hit; JakeGerberMMA Hit; HopperoMMA Hit; Bedtime MMA Hit; We Want Picks Hit.

All 7 analyst scorecardsWinner, method and round results7 scored · 7 hits · 0 misses
Predicted byPickActualWinnerMethodRound
Historic market Favourite call, market price 71.5%. Zaynukov · DecZaynukov · DecHitHitNot called
Historic market Favourite call, market price 71.5%. Zaynukov · to winZaynukov · DecHitNot calledNot called
Historic market Favourite call, market price 71.5%. Zaynukov · to winZaynukov · DecHitNot calledNot called
Historic market Favourite call, market price 71.5%. Zaynukov · to winZaynukov · DecHitNot calledNot called
Historic market Favourite call, market price 71.5%. Zaynukov · to winZaynukov · DecHitNot calledNot called
Historic market Favourite call, market price 71.5%. Zaynukov · to winZaynukov · DecHitNot calledNot called
Historic market Favourite call, market price 71.5%. Zaynukov · to winZaynukov · DecHitNot calledNot called

7 of 7 nailed it.

The experts above are a lens, not credentials we conferred — analyst, fighter or betting desk.

Archive Pre-fight material — kept for transparency.
8-0-0
Record
10-0-0
5-0 last 5
Recent formRecent formWin–loss record over the fighter’s last five bouts, newest first, as carried in their UFC/FightMetric career stats.
5-0 last 5
31
Age
24
1.78 m
Height
1.78 m
173 cm
Reach — Rzepecki leads
187 cm
Orthodox
StanceStanceWhich side a fighter leads from — a striking term, not a religious one. Orthodox: right-handed, left foot and hand forward (the common default). Southpaw: the mirror image, right side forward (usually a left-hander). Switch: changes between the two during a fight.
Orthodox
63%
Finish rateFinish % — Rzepecki leadsFinish rateThe share of a fighter’s wins that ended inside the distance — by KO/TKO or submission — rather than going to the judges’ scorecards. Higher means more finishes.
90%
5
Wins by KO/TKOKO/TKO wins — Zaynukov leads
4
0
Wins by submissionSub wins — Rzepecki leads
5
15.67
Sig. strikes landed / minStrikes / minSignificant strikes landed per minuteAverage number of significant strikes a fighter lands for every minute of fight time — a read on striking output and pace. From UFC/FightMetric career stats.
Not published
Sig. strikes absorbed / minAbsorbed / minSignificant strikes absorbed per minuteAverage number of significant strikes a fighter takes for every minute of fight time. Lower is better — it means they get hit less often. From UFC/FightMetric career stats.
Striking defenseStrike def.Striking defenseThe percentage of opponents’ significant strikes that do not land — strikes slipped, blocked or evaded. Higher is better. Not the same as striking accuracy, which counts your own strikes that land. From UFC/FightMetric.
Takedown defenseTD def.Takedown defenseThe percentage of opponents’ takedown attempts that are stuffed. Higher means harder to put on the mat. From UFC/FightMetric.
Avg. fight timeAvg. timeAverage fight timeThe mean length of the fighter’s bouts (minutes:seconds) — a rough read on whether they tend to finish early or go the distance. From UFC/FightMetric.
Russia
Nationality
Poland
Eagles MMA
Team
Top Fit Center Piotrkow Trybunalski

Career stats per UFC.com; recent form is each fighter's last five bouts. Numbers reflect records coming into fight night. Bars compare each stat on a fixed scale; the “Edge” marker flags the leading corner where the gap is meaningful. The snapshot plots five career rates — output, striking defense, durability (strikes absorbed, inverted), takedown defense and finish rate — each normalised on its own scale.

Pre-fight analysis — how we saw it going in

Case for Zaynukov

Zaynukov brings the Dagestani template to an unbeaten record. Training out of the Nurmagomedov school, 'Wild Chanco' is 8-0 with a Muay Thai base bolted onto the grappling pressure that region has made famous, and he has already been tested internationally at UAE Warriors and on the Contender Series. He is the more proven of the two perfect records.

Case for Rzepecki

Rzepecki is a 10-0 finisher making the UFC walk for the first time. 'The Butcher' has stopped nine of ten opponents — a 90% finish rate split between knockouts and submissions — carving through Poland's FEN scene. He is the bigger unknown and a genuine finishing threat; the question is whether that regional stoppage rate translates the moment the level jumps.

What We Were Watching For

  • Two zeros: one of these unbeaten records ends tonight — who handles the first real adversity of their career?
  • Wrestling vs finishing: Zaynukov's grappling pressure against Rzepecki's stoppage power — who dictates where the fight happens?
  • The debut jump: Rzepecki has never fought on this stage — does UFC-level competition dull a regional finishing record?
  • Zaynukov's decisions: three of his eight wins went the distance — can he finish, or does he need to grind rounds?

Fighters

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