Bekzat Almakhan signs for RKENA after controversial UFC release

Bekzat Almakhan has signed with Georgian MMA promotion RKENA after his widely criticised release from the UFC. The 28-year-old Kazakh bantamweight will join the organisation after four demanding UFC assignments, although the date and opponent for his first RKENA bout have not been announced.

Almakhan first drew attention in 2024 when he nearly handed Umar Nurmagomedov the first defeat of his professional career. In his UFC debut, the Kazakh fighter knocked Nurmagomedov down and came close to completing a major upset at UFC Vegas 87.

He followed that performance with another notable result at UFC 315, stopping Brad Katona in emphatic fashion. However, Almakhan was unable to build a winning run after that victory, losing his next two contests against Aleksandre Topuria and Jean Matsumoto.

The decision against Matsumoto became a major point of discussion. A fan poll on MMA Decisions gave Almakhan 70 percent support as the fighter who should have received the verdict, adding to criticism of the UFC’s decision to remove him from its roster despite his willingness to accept difficult matchups.

His departure came during a period of increased scrutiny over UFC roster decisions. Muhammad Mokaev was not retained in 2024, while Rinat Fakhretdinov was removed the following year. Almakhan’s exit became another disputed case, particularly because of his performance against Nurmagomedov and the controversy surrounding his most recent loss.

RKENA was established in 2025 and has staged three events to date. All three shows took place at the Tbilisi Sports Palace in Georgia’s capital. Almakhan’s move gives him a new platform to continue his career, but the promotion has yet to reveal when he will compete or who his first opponent will be.