Unbeaten finisher Asaf Chopurov signs with UFC ahead of October debut in Abu Dhabi

The UFC has signed Azerbaijani bantamweight Asaf Chopurov, adding one of the most sought-after unbeaten prospects in MMA to its roster. The 24-year-old carries an 11-0 professional record, with 10 of those wins coming by way of finish, and went an extraordinary 34-1 during his amateur career.

Chopurov is expected to make his promotional debut at UFC 333 on 24 October in Abu Dhabi, where he is set to face fellow prospect Colby Thicknesse (9-1). The bout is scheduled for the undercard of a bantamweight title trilogy between Petr Yan — Chopurov’s training partner — and Merab Dvalishvili.

The Azerbaijani fighter, nicknamed “Honey Badger”, announced the signing on Instagram and made his ambitions explicit: he is targeting UFC gold. That aspiration is grounded in a résumé that already includes the UAE Warriors bantamweight title, which he won by claiming the vacant strap last year before defending it twice.

His connection to champion Yan gives Chopurov an immediate foothold in the division’s elite training environment, and his debut placement — on the same card as a title fight — signals the UFC’s confidence in his drawing power as a prospect. Thicknesse, at 9-1, represents a credible first test at the highest level of the sport.