Osmanli calls Akylbek Uulu a 'clown' after illegal knee ends TUF 34 bantamweight final in disqualification

Mehemmedali Osmanli was disqualified from the TUF 34 bantamweight final at UFC Vegas 121 on 26 September at Meta Apex in Las Vegas after landing an illegal knee on a grounded Ilimbek Akylbek Uulu, handing the Kyrgyz fighter the win and snapping Osmanli’s nine-fight unbeaten streak.

The foul occurred less than halfway through the first round. Osmanli struck Akylbek Uulu with a knee while his opponent was on the ground, and Akylbek Uulu was unable to continue, prompting referee intervention and the subsequent disqualification ruling.

Osmanli has not accepted the outcome quietly. Speaking on Instagram Live, he accused Akylbek Uulu of exaggerating the impact of the illegal strike once the referee stepped in. According to Osmanli, his opponent initially grabbed his leg after the knee landed — a reaction he interprets as evidence the blow was not as damaging as Akylbek Uulu later indicated.

“He’s fake,” Osmanli said. “First, he take my leg. When referee stopped, he [put on a] show, like a clown.”

The animosity between the two fighters predates their meeting in the cage. Bad blood developed during their time together on Michael Bisping’s team in the TUF house, making the bantamweight final a particularly charged contest before a single punch was thrown.

The disqualification loss is only the second of Osmanli’s professional career, but the manner of it — and the circumstances surrounding the TUF 34 title — means the rivalry between the two fighters is unlikely to feel settled. Whether the UFC moves to book a rematch remains to be seen.