UFC on ESPN 58 winner Asu Almabayev: 'I know that my level is top five'

LAS VEGAS – Asu Almabayev is ready to take on the upper echelon of the flyweight division after UFC on ESPN 58.

Almabayev (20-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) extended his winning streak to 16 when he defeated Jose Johnson (16-9 MMA, 1-2 UFC) by unanimous decision Saturday at the UFC Apex.

Almabayev called out former title challenger Kai Kara-France, and thinks he deserves a top contender for his next fight.

“My record is 20-2, and I’m a very long time in this sport, and I was facing a lot of good fighters,” Almabayev told reporters through an interpreter at the UFC on ESPN 58 post-fight press conference. “I know that my level is top five. That’s why I’m ready.”

Despite his confidence, the 30-year-old Kazakh fighter was slightly critical of his performance vs. Johnson.

“Of course I had a lot of mistakes. I need to learn more,” Almabayev said. “So as they say, as long as you live, as long as you learn. I need to watch the fight and I don’t want to praise myself. That’s why I’m all the time not satisfied with my performance.”

You can watch Almabayev’s full post-fight news conference in the video above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 58.