Could Nursulton Ruziboev be headed to UFC 330 in Philly after Baku win?

Nursulton Ruziboev met the media Saturday after his win over Andrey Pulyaev at UFC Fight Night 280.

Ruziboev (37-9-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) made slick work of Pulyaev (10-5 MMA, 1-3 UFC) on the preliminary card at National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan, and tapped him with a rear-naked choke. It was his third straight win.

Ruziboev said just fighting had him feeling backed into a corner because it had been 13 months since his win over Dustin Stoltzfus. He was set to fight Bryan Battle last August, but Battle missed weight so bad the bout was canceled.

That left Ruziboev on the shelf till Saturday in Baku.

“It was a lot of pressure for me after one year (off), but it’s all good,” Ruziboev told the UFC after the fight. “I needed to win like that.”

Ruziboev now has wins in five of his six fights in the UFC, and four have been by stoppage. The 32-year-old left Baku with barely a scratch, and though he trains in South Florida at American Top Team, he used to be based in Philadelphia for his training.

UFC 330 is set for that city on Aug. 15.

“If my manager tells me who to fight, I’m ready always,” he said. I have a little injury, but I want to come back soon. This year, I want to fight two more times.”

Check out Ruziboev’s post-fight interview in the video below.

“I needed to win like that.”

Nursulton Ruziboev didn’t just want to return to the Octagon after a year away. He wanted to make a statement and picked up a submission win. #UFCBaku

Complete Prelim Results ➡️ https://t.co/uFmdQqejLwpic.twitter.com/ReZIn4w8wD

— UFC News (@UFCNews) June 27, 2026

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Could Nursulton Ruziboev be headed to UFC 330 in Philly after Baku win?