Rabindra Dhant reaches Road to UFC final after split-decision win over Kasib Murdoch

Shanghai, China, August 28, 2026 — Nepal’s Rabindra Dhant defeated New Zealand’s unbeaten Kasib Murdoch by split decision on Friday to reach the bantamweight final of Road to UFC Season 5, moving one victory away from securing a UFC contract.

The closely contested semifinal in Shanghai saw the Nepali fighter edge Murdoch on the judges’ scorecards and book a place in the tournament final, where he will face Japan’s Ryo Tajima.

The victory extends Dhant’s impressive run of form, which began with four consecutive wins leading into the semifinal. His recent victories include his Road to UFC quarterfinal win over Filipino fighter Kimbert Alintozon and his Matrix Fight Night title victory against India’s Chungreng Koren.

Murdoch entered the semifinal with an unbeaten professional record and considerable momentum of his own. The New Zealander had established himself as one of the emerging prospects in the regional MMA scene after successfully defending his Hex Fight Series title twice.

The semifinal victory represents a major step in Dhant’s pursuit of becoming the first Nepali fighter to earn a place in the UFC. However, one final hurdle remains.

Dhant must win the Road to UFC Season 5 bantamweight final and finish as champion of the eight-man, single-elimination tournament to earn the opportunity to join the UFC.

After the fight, Dhant used his moment in the spotlight to send a message to people back in Nepal affected by the recent flash floods.

“Jai Nepal! Jai Hanuman! Let’s go! Thank you for supporting me, all the fans, my family, thank you every sponsor,” Dhant said immediately after his victory.

He then turned his attention to the disaster at home, calling on those affected to remain strong and urging Nepal to “keep your head up” while facing the difficult circumstances.

The message added an emotional dimension to a landmark night in Dhant’s career. Having carried Nepal’s flag into one of the biggest fights of his career, he used his post-fight interview to acknowledge the support he had received from home and express solidarity with those facing the aftermath of the floods.