TLDR
- Dustin Stoltzfus defeated Mansur Abdul-Malik by rear-naked choke at 4:25 of Round 2 at UFC 330
- Stoltzfus entered the fight as a +500 underdog while Abdul-Malik was favored at -700
- The victory ended Stoltzfus’ two-fight losing streak and marked Abdul-Malik’s second consecutive loss
- Stoltzfus controlled Round 1 with a slam takedown and ground strikes before securing the finish in Round 2
- The upset continued a trend of underdog victories throughout the UFC 330 card in Philadelphia
Sources: mmajunkie.usatoday.com | cagesidepress.com | lowkickmma.com
Dustin Stoltzfus pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the night at UFC 330 on Saturday, submitting Mansur Abdul-Malik in the second round at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania native entered the middleweight bout as a heavy +500 underdog against Abdul-Malik, who was favored at -700 by oddsmakers.
Stoltzfus (17-8 MMA, 4-7 UFC) secured the victory at 4:25 of Round 2 with a rear-naked choke that forced Abdul-Malik (9-2-1 MMA, 3-2-1 UFC) to tap. The win snapped a two-fight losing streak for Stoltzfus, who had dropped back-to-back decisions in 2025.
The opening round featured intense exchanges on the feet despite Abdul-Malik’s size and reach advantages. Both fighters landed heavy shots early, with Abdul-Malik showing slightly better speed.
Stoltzfus Takes Control With Wrestling
Near the midway point of Round 1, Stoltzfus changed tactics and pursued a takedown. He earned control time before Abdul-Malik escaped and threw a high kick.
DUSTIN STOLTZFUS JUST BEAT SHARABUTDIN ABDUL-MALIK 😳🔥 pic.twitter.com/Bu5Dh1CsTT
— UFC Replays (@UFCReplays) August 16, 2026
Stoltzfus then landed a right hand before scooping up Abdul-Malik and slamming him to the canvas. He quickly advanced to mount position and rained down strikes, forcing Abdul-Malik to give up his back.
Stoltzfus briefly threatened with a choke and later attempted a Suloev stretch before the round ended. The dominant grappling display clearly won him the first frame on the judges’ scorecards.
Round 2 began with Abdul-Malik dictating the pace and applying pressure. He hurt Stoltzfus at one point, but the 34-year-old survived by grabbing his opponent’s leg.
The Finish Comes in Round Two
Once back on his feet, Stoltzfus stunned Abdul-Malik with a thunderous right hand that nearly dropped him. He then closed the distance and secured a body lock along the fence.
Stoltzfus landed a spinning elbow but couldn’t complete a takedown attempt. However, moments later he was on top with Abdul-Malik trapped in a guillotine attempt.
When the guillotine didn’t work, Stoltzfus transitioned to a rare position with his knee on Abdul-Malik’s throat. He began landing heavy hammerfists and ground strikes as Abdul-Malik looked increasingly uncomfortable.
With less than one minute remaining in the round, Stoltzfus took Abdul-Malik’s back. He landed a big punch to the head that appeared to rock his opponent.
The rear-naked choke quickly followed, leaving Abdul-Malik no choice but to tap out. The hometown crowd erupted as the referee stopped the fight.
The loss marked the second consecutive defeat for Abdul-Malik and only the second loss of his professional career. He had entered UFC 330 looking to bounce back from his first career defeat.
Stoltzfus became part of a pattern of upset victories throughout the UFC 330 card. Other underdog winners included Jeremiah Wells over Myktybek Orolbai, Neil Magny over Ramiz Brahimaj, and Chidi Njokuani over Joel Alvarez.
The victory improved Stoltzfus’ UFC record to 4-7 while dropping Abdul-Malik to 3-2-1 inside the octagon. Stoltzfus was the second fight on the main card at the Philadelphia venue.
