Edmen Shahbazyan record: Who was the first fighter to finish 'The Golden Boy'?
Edmen Shahbazyan currently holds a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) record of 12 wins and four losses, with 10 of his victories coming by knockout. He also has a single submission and one decision win to his name.
Unfortunately for 'The Golden Boy', he has gone 1-4 in his last five. After a blistering start to his MMA career, which saw him go 11-0, his progress came to a screeching halt at the hands of Derek Brunson.
Edmen Shahbazyan, who at the time was considered to be the next big thing at 185 pounds, took on Brunson, considered by many to be a gatekeeper of the middleweight division's title picture, in the main event of UFC Fight Night 173.
On the night, Shahbazyan had no answer for Brunson's dominant grappling, as the veteran took 'The Golden Boy' down almost at will. Brunson secured the TKO win by virtue of the damage he had accumulated a few seconds into the third round.
Shahbazyan was subsequently defeated by Jack Hermansson via unanimous decision and later by Nassourdine Imavov, who knocked him out in the second round.
He bounced back with a win over Dalcha Lungiambula, but couldn't keep the momentum going, as he was finished by Anthony Hernandez in his most recent Octagon appearance in May 2023.
Who is Edmen Shahbazyan fighting next?
After a fairly lengthy amount of time off, Edmen Shahbazyan will return to the octagon at UFC Vegas 89: Ribas vs. Namajunas this Saturday, March 23, at the UFC's APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada.
'The Golden Boy' will be taking on A.J. Dobson on the main card, with the two set to precede the co-main event. Dobson currently holds a record of 7-2, with one no contest on his record. Out of those seven wins, he has three knockouts, two submissions, and two decisions.
He is coming off a win against Tafon Nchukwi, whom he beat via unanimous decision back in August 2023. Dobson is a well-rounded fighter capable of meeting Shahbazyan wherever the fight goes, making for an interesting middleweight contest at UFC Vegas 89.