Mansur Abdul-Malik Submitted at UFC 330

Mansur Abdul-Malik was submitted by Dustin Stoltzfus in their UFC 330 middleweight bout, with the finish coming by rear-naked choke at 4:25 of the second round. Abdul-Malik entered the Philadelphia fight as a highly regarded 185-pound prospect and a substantial betting favorite, but the contest developed into a demanding grappling battle that repeatedly tested his ability to recover from difficult positions. The result marked another major turn in a fight that began with Abdul-Malik using speed and combinations before Stoltzfus established a more physical route to the finish.

The official result was a rear-naked-choke submission for Stoltzfus in Round 2. For Mansur Abdul-Malik, the decisive sequence followed a bout in which the action changed sharply from round to round and even from exchange to exchange. Abdul-Malik found success at range at various points, landing punches and a high kick, but Stoltzfus consistently looked for ways to close distance, clinch, wrestle and work from top position. That contrast gave the fight its shape: Abdul-Malik’s fast offense remained a threat, while Stoltzfus kept creating opportunities to turn the contest into a grappling exchange.

Mansur Abdul-Malik faces a changing fight

Mansur Abdul-Malik and Stoltzfus opened with heavy exchanges, with Abdul-Malik showing the quicker hands in early striking. Stoltzfus nevertheless stayed patient enough to look for a takedown, briefly taking Abdul-Malik’s back while working from a body lock. Abdul-Malik fought to remain upright, and the fighters later separated to resume striking in the center. Abdul-Malik landed a high kick during the first round, but Stoltzfus recovered by getting into a clinch. The momentum then swung when Stoltzfus connected in an exchange, shot for a takedown and landed a major slam. Stoltzfus advanced to full mount and landed punches, forcing Abdul-Malik to give up his back. MMA Fighting scored the round 10-9 for Stoltzfus, reflecting how strongly the late wrestling and ground offense altered a round that had included moments of success for Abdul-Malik.

The second round continued to demand adjustments from Mansur Abdul-Malik. He initially used distance after feeling Stoltzfus’ wrestling in the opening frame, then answered Stoltzfus’ forward movement with punches and clinch knees. Abdul-Malik also came out on top in one scramble and threw punches from that position, showing he was not simply conceding the ground game. Still, Stoltzfus kept pursuing takedowns and body-lock positions. A spinning back elbow from Stoltzfus landed along the fence, and the exchange remained volatile as both fighters threw hard shots. Abdul-Malik defended another takedown attempt, but Stoltzfus later pushed him to the canvas, briefly threatened a guillotine and used punches to open the route to the final choke.

The finish ends Mansur Abdul-Malik’s UFC 330 bout

Mansur Abdul-Malik’s UFC 330 appearance ended when Stoltzfus secured the rear-naked choke late in the second round. The finish was not the product of one uninterrupted spell of control. It followed Abdul-Malik’s efforts to regain range, score from top position in a scramble and fight off takedown attempts, alongside Stoltzfus’ repeated returns to wrestling and pressure. The defeat adds context to Abdul-Malik’s profile entering the bout. He was listed at 9-1-1 and had won seven of his first 10 fights in the opening round. In five UFC fights before UFC 330, he had won three times, all by knockout or submission. The supplied fight coverage also noted that his first professional defeat had come in March by third-round knockout against Yousri Belgaroui. At UFC 330, however, Stoltzfus handed Mansur Abdul-Malik a second-round submission loss after building his attack around the slam, mount pressure, punches and the eventual choke.

• Round 1: Mansur Abdul-Malik had early striking moments, but Stoltzfus changed the round with a takedown, slam, full mount and sustained punches.
• Round 2: Mansur Abdul-Malik responded with punches, knees and a scramble to top position before Stoltzfus returned to pressure and finished with a rear-naked choke at 4:25.

Mansur Abdul-Malik’s loss at UFC 330 came after a competitive, shifting middleweight contest in which his speed and offense were repeatedly met by Stoltzfus’ clinch work, wrestling and top pressure. The confirmed finish was a rear-naked choke at 4:25 of Round 2, closing a bout where Abdul-Malik had opportunities to strike and scramble but could not keep the fight away from Stoltzfus’ most effective positions.

Sources: MMA Fighting; LowKick MMA; Cageside Press