Abus Magomedov Submits Cam Rowston in Round 1 at UFC 333
Abus Magomedov secured a first-round submission victory over Cam Rowston on the preliminary card of UFC 333 on Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The middleweight caught Rowston in a guillotine choke after a brief striking exchange, ending the fight before the opening round concluded.
Magomedov entered the bout with a 29-7-1 professional record and a 5-3 mark in the UFC. Rowston arrived at 15-3 overall and undefeated at 3-0 inside the promotion. The Russian veteran was a slight favorite against the Australian, who had finished two of his three UFC opponents.
The fight opened with Magomedov landing hard leg kicks and a stiff jab that snapped Rowston’s head back. Rowston attempted a takedown and immediately found himself locked in a guillotine. Magomedov tightened the choke as Rowston went limp, forcing the referee to stop the contest. UFC’s official account described the result as a submission that left no doubt.
The finish improves Magomedov to 30-7-1 overall and 6-3 in the UFC. It is his second consecutive first-round submission after he guillotined Michal Oleksiejczuk at 3:25 of the opening frame in June. Rowston drops to 15-4 and 3-1 in the promotion, suffering his first Octagon loss after decision and knockout wins over Robert Bryczek, Cody Brundage, and Andre Petroski.
Magomedov, who trains in Germany and holds a long regional and PFL record, has mixed power striking with opportunistic grappling throughout his UFC tenure. His previous losses inside the promotion came against ranked opponents including Joe Pyfer and Sean Strickland. Rowston, nicknamed “Battle Giraffe,” had established himself as a rangy middleweight prospect with finishing ability before facing Magomedov.
The guillotine mirrored Magomedov’s recent success in catching opponents during level changes. Rowston had spoken before the fight about studying Magomedov’s grappling and preparing a game plan, yet the Australian could not avoid the choke once he shot. The stoppage came early on a card that has already produced multiple finishes on the preliminary portion.
Magomedov’s ranking near the middle of the middleweight division remains intact after the win. He will look to build on consecutive first-round submissions when the UFC books his next opponent. Rowston returns to the drawing board after a short night that tested his wrestling defense against an experienced submission threat.
The preliminary card continues in Abu Dhabi with additional ranked matchups still ahead. Magomedov’s submission is the latest early finish on a night headlined by title fights involving Alexander Volkanovski and Movsar Evloev.
