How Michał Oleksiejczuk Brilliantly Saved UFC Career

Over the past year, Michał Oleksiejczuk has enjoyed a rapid resurgence in the UFC middleweight division, and at UFC Fight Night 280, he is aiming to make his case to be in the rankings when he faces a stalwart German veteran. 

Michal Oleksiejczuk Looking to Make it Four in a Row in Baku

Currently riding a three-fight winning streak, Oleksiejczuk has completely turned his career around since joining the world-famous Fighting Nerds gym last year. Under their tutelage, the Pole has since rebounded from a previous three-bout skid to getting his hand raised in his last three Octagon appearances.

Now standing as one of top fighters outside the 185-lb top 15, “Hussar” can potentially snag a spot among the best of the best in his weight class at UFC Baku this weekend, should he manage to topple formerly ranked contender Abus Magomedov.

Making a splash in his promotional debut back in 2022, Magomedov looked to be a potentially hyped prospect after decimating Dustin Stoltzfus with a thunderous front kick, starching the American in just 19 seconds. Although he would lose his next two matches to future middleweight champion Sean Strickland and Caio Borralho, the Dagestan native bounced back in incredible fashion by winning his next trio of scraps, collecting wins over several of the division’s hardest hitters in Brunno Ferreira and Michel Pereira. 

Michal Oleksiecjzuk Energized Ahead of UFC Baku

Magomedov was soundly defeated in his last time out after being choked out by Joe Pyfer, which ended up being his first submission loss in 12 years.

With his title aspirations now stronger than ever before, Michal Oleksiejczuk is intent on making a statement at UFC Baku to the rest of the weight class. Tasked with opening the curtain for the event’s main card, the European steam roller will stop at nothing to continue his astounding run in the winner’s circle.

How Oleksiejczuk Revitalized Career

Making his first walk to the UFC cage back in 2017, Oleksiejczuk initially began his stint in the company as a light heavyweight, compiling an eventual divisional record of 4-3 with one no-contest before dropping down to middleweight in 2022. While he did come out on top in his first pair of bouts in the weight category, the Pole soon began to struggle immensely to get a victory, losing four of his next five fights.

Following a disappointing setback to Shara Magomedov in 2024, Oleksiejczuk made the decision to switch gyms and join the up-and-coming Fighting Nerds gym before his contest with Sedriques Dumas at UFC 314. Training with previous foe Caio Borralho, “Hussar”’s abilities as a mixed martial artist greatly flourished, ultimately leading to a first round knockout win over the Floridian.

From here, he continued to thrive under his Brazilian trainers, finishing off 2025 with a second monumental stoppage victory over Gerald Meerschaert at UFC 319, taking just a total of six significant strikes in his two tilts for the year.

Michal Oleksiejczuk Making Second Walk to Octagon in Baku

Entering 2026 with all the confidence in the world, Oleksiejczuk encountered the biggest test of his win streak thus far in the form of Canadian luminary Marc-André Barriault at UFC Vegas 113. Going the full 15-minute distance, “Power Bar” managed to give his European adversary a solid test, even managing to take the second round on all the judge’s scorecards. However, it was Oleksiejczuk who secured the unanimous decision to extend his stay in the win column to three in a row.

This leads to his upcoming confrontation with Magomedov at UFC Baku, which will be his second bout of 2026 in just four months. If he can make it past the German in dominant fashion, then the gateway into the middleweight rankings may just swing wide open for the surging Polish star.