DOHA, Qatar – Myktybek Orolbai didn’t just welcome Jack Hermansson to welterweight he sent him straight back to the drawing board. In a featured bout at UFC Fight Night 265 at ABHA Arena. Orolbai (15-2-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) demolished longtime middleweight contender Jack Hermansson (24-10 MMA, 11-8 UFC) with a brutal counter right hand that ended the fight at 2:46 of Round 1.
Hermansson, making his first cut down to 170 pounds after a long run at middleweight, never got the chance to settle in. During an early exchange, Orolbai timed a perfect counter, landed clean on the chin, and Hermansson’s body went limp as he crashed to the canvas. The referee immediately stepped in, with no follow-up needed.
The result raised instant questions about how well Hermansson’s durability translates to his new division and did the opposite for Orolbai, whose stock surged with a clean, violent finish over a respected veteran.
From Weight Miss to Statement Win
Orolbai’s surge at welterweight comes with some intrigue. He moved up from lightweight after previously missing weight, and now must decide where his long-term future lies: at 170, or back down at 155 if he can safely make the cut.
What isn’t in doubt is his confidence.
“I love you guys, thank you guys,” Orolbai told Michael Bisping in his post-fight interview. “All my fights are exciting. Only the start. I am future champion. I am humble fighter. When the cage door close, I smash.”
If he stays at welterweight. this kind of highlight-reel stoppage over a name like Hermansson will fast-track him toward ranked opposition and, if he’s right about his future, eventually a title shot.
For now, Myktybek Orolbai walks out of Doha with one of the cleanest knockouts of the night, a growing fanbase, and a simple promise: When the cage door closes, he smashes.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
