[WATCH] Henry Cejudo Defeats Kairat Akhmetov – In Submission Grappling Match

Henry Cejudo is back in the win column – this time on the mats.

The Olympic gold medalist and former two-division UFC champion recently stepped into a submission grappling match against former ONE flyweight world champion Kairat Akhmetov.The match took place on May 27th, 2025, at Alash Pride 108 in Astana, Kazakhstan.

In a tightly contested five-minute match that largely played out on the feet, Cejudo pushed the pace, working for takedowns and controlling the clinch exchanges.His persistence paid off when he landed a clean inside trip, followed by a transition to side control.

Although Akhmetov managed to scramble back up, Cejudo scored another inside trip late in the match – this time chaining it into a double leg and bodylock sequence.Akhmetov recovered yet again, ending the bout on top inside Cejudo’s guard, but it wasn’t enough.

Cejudo took the unanimous decision win.

Akhmetov entered the match with serious credentials of his own, as a three-time Kazakhstan national Greco-Roman wrestling champion and a 30-2 MMA record, including 12 wins by submission.However, Cejudo’s world-class wrestling pedigree – highlighted by a 2008 Olympic gold and multiple UFC title reigns – proved decisive in the clinch-heavy matchup.

trio of losses in the UFC, the grappling match gave fans a glimpse of the sharp skills that defined Cejudo’s prime.