Mehemmedeli Osmanli Claims Ilimbek Akylbek Faked Injury in TUF 34 Final

The TUF 34 bantamweight tournament final ended in controversy at UFC Fight Night on September 26, 2026. After 2:19 in the first round, Mehemmedeli Osmanli landed an illegal knee on a grounded Ilimbek Akylbek, leading the referee to stop the bout and declare a disqualification win for Akylbek.

Following the event, Osmanli alleged in an Instagram Live video that Akylbek staged his reaction to the strike. Video replays show Akylbek grappling for position immediately before the referee intervened, after which he fell onto his back. He remained in that state while being attended to by his team, leading to continued debate regarding the severity of his condition.