Mansur Abdul-Malik Overcomes Nick Klein at UFC Seattle
Mansur Abdul-Malik recovered from an early scare to stop Nick Klein at 3:24 of Round 2 in their middleweight bout at Climate Pledge Arena on February 22, 2025. The official scorecard records the result as a TKO by strikes. The finish came after Klein had briefly rocked Abdul-Malik in the first round, turning a difficult opening into a rallying win for the unbeaten prospect.
Klein, making his promotional debut, landed a spinning back forearm midway through the opening round. The shot stunned Abdul-Malik, who clinched to recover while Klein controlled much of the remainder of the frame against the fence. The official preliminary-card recap describes that sequence and Abdul-Malik’s response. He began Round 2 by working through more clinch pressure; once he created space and started landing punches, Klein could not withstand the attack. The referee intervened before the bout could reach the third round.
The win moved Abdul-Malik to 2–0 in the promotion and kept him unbeaten. It was also his second straight stoppage since joining the roster. His success in Seattle came from more than raw power: he showed that he could stay composed after being hurt, recover position in the clinch, and return to offense when the opportunity opened. The existing video above is his post-fight interview with the promotion, where he discusses the performance.
Abdul-Malik’s record has changed substantially since Seattle. He fought Cody Brundage to a majority draw in June 2025, submitted Antonio Trocoli in the first round in December, then lost to Yousri Belgaroui by third-round TKO on March 28, 2026. Most recently, Dustin Stoltzfus submitted him with a rear-naked choke at 4:25 of Round 2 on August 15, 2026. The official fighter history, March event recap, and August scorecards track the later outcomes. The losses ended the unbeaten run that had made his Seattle performance look like the beginning of a rapid ascent.
Klein also kept competing after the defeat. He met Andrey Pulyaev in August 2025 and lost by second-round stoppage, according to the event’s official scorecards. The Seattle loss was his debut, but it was not the only time a fight ended early for him. That context gives the Abdul-Malik bout a clearer place in both men’s careers: a strong comeback for one rising middleweight, and an early lesson for another newcomer still working to find his footing.
The Seattle result was Abdul-Malik’s second-round TKO, not a win by decision or submission. He absorbed a damaging strike in Round 1, regrouped through the clinch, and finished with punches at 3:24 of Round 2. The interview and official event recap preserve the night’s full story, while his later results show how quickly early momentum can be tested at the highest level.
