Veteran Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight, Jun Yong Park, battled to a unanimous decision victory over Ismail Naurdiev on UFC Baku’s “Prelims” undercard this afternoon (Sat., June 21, 2025) inside Baku Crystal Hall, Azerbaijan, in a grueling contest marred by controversy.
Indeed, “The Iron Turtle” endured a barrage of fouls from Naurdiev, including eye pokes in the first and second rounds; however, a devastating illegal knee dramatically shifted the fight’s momentum.
In the second round, Naurdiev landed a brutal illegal knee, splitting Park’s eye and dropping him to the canvas. Though the fight seemed ripe for a stoppage — Naurdiev actually celebrated as if he won — Park was somehow able to continue despite being blind in one eye.
The referee swiftly penalized Naurdiev, deducting two points for the illegal knee — a rare sanction, seen only twice before in UFC history: Alex Caceres vs. Edwin Figueroa (UFC 143) and Jon Jones vs. Anthony Smith (UFC 235).
Park (19-6) bolstered his momentum with a second consecutive victory — the Korean’s sixth win in his last seven appearances since 2022.
Prior to UFC Baku, “The Iron Turtle” edged out long-time veteran Brad Tavares via split decision at UFC Vegas 98 back in Oct. 2024. With a 9-3 record in UFC, Park’s gritty performances continue to make him a quietly formidable force in the Middleweight division.
Naurdiev (24-8), meanwhile, saw his two-fight win streak halted, marking his first defeat in his second UFC stint.
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