Magomedov chokes out Rowston at UFC 333, then calls out ex-training partner Rodrigues

Abus Magomedov extended his winning run to two consecutive first-round submissions at UFC 333, rendering Cameron Rowston unconscious with a guillotine choke on 24 October at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi — and wasted no time naming his next target.

Speaking in his post-fight Octagon interview, Magomedov called out fellow middleweight Gregory ‘Robocop’ Rodrigues, a fighter he once trained alongside. The challenge was direct but notably respectful, framed as unfinished business between two men who know each other well.

“Last time in Baku, I told Mick that he give me Adesanya but this guy skip, he didn’t hear me, he didn’t see,” Magomedov said. “Now I have new name, [Gregory] Rodrigues. He don’t have upcoming fight. Let’s fight beginning next year brother. We know each other, back in the days we trained together. But this sport… Let’s go.”

The win over Rowston marks Magomedov’s second straight first-round submission victory, a run that has helped him recover from a loss to Joe Pyfer the previous year. The Azerbaijani middleweight appears to be building momentum at the right time, and a matchup with Rodrigues would represent a significant step up in competition.

Rodrigues, for his part, arrives in strong form of his own. The Brazilian is currently riding a four-fight winning streak, the most recent of which came via unanimous decision over Anthony Hernandez in August. With no fight currently scheduled, the timing of Magomedov’s callout could align well for both men.

A potential meeting between two middleweights who have shared a gym and now find themselves on converging paths in the UFC rankings carries obvious appeal — though whether matchmakers act on the callout remains to be seen.