Delano vs Magomedov Preview: Unbeaten Finisher Meets a Volume Striker

Here's a featherweight bout built on a simple tension: a fighter who has never needed the judges against one who is happy to go all 15 minutes. Kyrgyzstan's Murtazali "The Highlight" Magomedov is 11-0 with five knockouts, six submissions and seven first-round finishes. Brazil's Jose Delano is 17-3, and eight of his 17 wins (47%) have come on the scorecards, along with five submissions and four knockouts. Neither is ranked; Delano is 29, Magomedov 27.

Delano, who debuted in the octagon in April 2026, brings startling output:

• 8.43 significant strikes landed per minute at 64% accuracy
• 3.50 absorbed per minute, with 69% striking defense and no knockdowns yet
• 88% of his significant strikes on the feet, 12% in the clinch, none on the ground
• 75% takedown defense, and no takedowns of his own
• an average fight time of exactly 15:00

Magomedov's numbers come with a caveat: since his debut in June 2026, his average fight has lasted 1:27, so the sample is tiny and the rates are extreme. He carries a knockdown average of 5.17, attempts 5.17 submissions per 15 minutes, lands 4.83 significant strikes per minute while absorbing 2.07, hits at 48% and avoids 81% of what comes back. Most of his strikes land standing (79%), the rest on the ground (21%). He's an inch taller at 5-foot-9 to Delano's 5-foot-8, and the two share a 70.5-inch reach. Six submission wins and a fifth of his strikes on the mat say Magomedov has plenty to offer on the ground. The problem is getting there: Delano turns away three of every four takedowns and hasn't landed a single strike on the ground himself. And on volume the Brazilian is well ahead. The question: does Magomedov find his opening early, as he did in seven first-round finishes, or does Delano's pace take him to the scorecards, territory Magomedov has never seen?

The card at Meta APEX starts at 2 p.m. local time, with the main card at 5 p.m. Magomedov's fights have averaged 1:27, so don't cut it close. Get your seat: tickets for UFC Fight Night at Meta APEX.