Thicknesse vs Chopurov at UFC 333: An Unbeaten Finisher Makes His Debut

Asaf Chopurov arrives at UFC 333 with an 11-0 record and little use for the judges. "The Honey Badger," 24, from Georgia, has finished 10 of his 11 wins, five by knockout and five by submission, and seven of them came in the first round. On Saturday, Oct. 24, at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, he makes his UFC debut against Australia's Colby Thicknesse in a bantamweight bout on the early prelims.

Thicknesse, 27, nicknamed "Slickness," is 9-1 and has fought in the UFC since February 2025. Every one of his UFC fights has gone the full 15 minutes, including his most recent, a unanimous-decision win in May 2026. Overall he has two knockouts, two submissions and five decisions. He stands 5-foot-7 with a 69-inch reach, lands 3.24 significant strikes per minute at 41% accuracy and averages 1.67 submission attempts per 15 minutes, with 29% of his significant strikes landing on the ground.

With no UFC numbers yet for Chopurov, the records tell the story. Chopurov has gone to a decision just once in 11 wins; Thicknesse has won five of his nine that way. Worth noting: Thicknesse stops 33% of takedown attempts, and Chopurov has five submission wins.

The question: can Thicknesse drag the newcomer into the third round, or does Chopurov's first-round habit carry over to the UFC?

The early prelims start at 6 p.m. local time, the prelims at 8 p.m. and the main card at 10 p.m. Get your seat: Thicknesse vs Chopurov tickets.