Murtazali Magomedov lands 2026's nastiest UFC submission
Murtazali Magomedov secured MMA Fighting's Submission of the Midyear award for the first half of 2026 with a body-bending Scottish twister that left Melsik Baghdasaryan no choice but to tap at UFC Vegas 119.
Magomedov, a Dana White Contender Series graduate who had previously knocked out Brahyam Zurcher to earn his contract, surprised those who had only seen his striking work by unleashing a grappling clinic in his promotional debut. After grounding Baghdasaryan, the Kyrgyzstan-based fighter avoided conventional submissions and instead waited for his opponent to turn into a body lock, MMA Fighting reports. Magomedov trapped him mid-rotation and torqued his spine in opposite directions until the featherweight was forced to surrender. The finish put the 145-pound division on notice that Magomedov carries serious submission threats alongside his knockout power.
Almabayev's Suloev stretch and Ardelean's viral leg lock round out top three
Kazakhstan's Asu Almabayev claimed the second spot with a late-round Suloev stretch against flyweight spoiler Charles Johnson at UFC Baku. Almabayev controlled two rounds with his wrestling before snatching Johnson's leg as the American attempted to stand from back control with under two minutes remaining. The hamstring-threatening hold forced the tap and moved Almabayev to 7-1 in the UFC, positioning him closer to a potential title shot against champion Joshua Van, who Johnson had previously upset.
Alice Ardelean rounded out the top three by becoming the first fighter in UFC history to finish an opponent with a Capsule Lock. Facing Polyana Viana at UFC Vegas 117, the social media personality turned legitimate contender caught Viana's foot between her legs during a bottom body lock attempt and twisted into a leg lock that forced the Brazilian to signal submission. Ardelean entered the promotion with a 9-5 record and losses to Shauna Bannon and Melissa Martinez, but has since strung together three straight wins including a Fight of the Night performance against Rayanne dos Santos.
The recognition comes despite no major title fights being decided by submission in the year's first six months. Magomedov faces an uncertain timeline for his next appearance as the UFC books out its featherweight contenders through fall.
Original reporting:
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