From Historic UFC Victory To Heartfelt Message For Flood-Hit Nepal: Rabindra Dhant Makes His Country Proud

SHANGHAI, China, August 28, 2026

Nepal’s Rabindra “Bajhang ko Bagh” Dhant defeated previously unbeaten New Zealand fighter Kasib Murdoch by split decision in the Road to UFC Season 5 bantamweight semifinal at the Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai on Friday, advancing to the tournament final and moving another major step closer to his dream of earning a UFC contract. After one of the biggest victories of his career, Dhant turned his attention back home, speaking about the devastating floods and landslides affecting Nepal and urging people to support those suffering during the disaster.

Dhant Wins A Close Battle

Dhant and Murdoch entered the semifinal as two highly rated bantamweight prospects, with Murdoch carrying an undefeated 8-0 professional record into the contest.

The fight went all three rounds before being decided by the judges. Dhant landed several powerful strikes during the closely contested battle and ultimately received the split-decision victory, handing Murdoch his first professional MMA defeat and securing his place in the Road to UFC final.

One Step Closer To The UFC

The victory puts Dhant within touching distance of a breakthrough that could become one of the biggest achievements in Nepali combat sports.

The Road to UFC tournament was created to provide leading Asia-Pacific MMA prospects with a pathway into the UFC. Dhant must now win the bantamweight final, where victory could earn him a multi-fight UFC contract.

His journey through Season 5 has already been remarkable. In the opening round in Macau on May 28, Dhant defeated the Philippines’ Kimbert Alintozon by second-round TKO, becoming the first fighter from Nepal to compete on Road to UFC and advancing to the semifinals.

Power Has Become Dhant's Trademark

Dhant entered Friday's fight with a professional record of 10 wins and one loss, including eight victories by knockout or TKO.

His aggressive striking and ability to produce powerful punches and kicks have become central to his reputation, with Nepali supporters even popularizing the term “Dhantshot” for his trademark heavy strikes.

Against Murdoch, however, Dhant needed more than finishing power. Facing an opponent with strong wrestling, grappling and boxing experience, he fought through three competitive rounds before getting his hand raised by the judges.

Nepal On His Mind After Victory

The significance of the moment extended beyond sport. Nepal has been dealing with devastating floods that have caused widespread loss of life, displacement and destruction, particularly along the Bhotekoshi corridor and downstream communities.

Even while celebrating a career-defining victory thousands of kilometers away in Shanghai, Dhant spoke about the difficult situation facing people back home.

He urged people to help flood and landslide victims in whatever way they could from their respective communities, using one of the biggest platforms of his career to draw attention back to Nepal.

A Victory Carrying Nepal's Flag Forward

Dhant’s Road to UFC journey has increasingly become more than an individual sporting achievement. From his second-round TKO in Macau to Friday’s split-decision victory in Shanghai, every step has taken a Nepali fighter further into a competition designed as a pathway toward the world's biggest MMA promotion.

Now the “Bajhang ko Bagh” is headed to the Road to UFC final.

One more victory could turn a journey that began far from the global MMA spotlight into a historic UFC breakthrough for Nepal.