Nepal’s Rabindra Dhant defeated New Zealand’s Kasib Murdoch by split decision in the Road to UFC Season 5 semifinal in Shanghai on Friday, booking his place in the bantamweight division summit clash against Japan’s Ryo Tajima.

After his victory, Dhant turned his attention to those back home to deliver a message of solidarity to victims of Nepal 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 after the fight. He then urged Nepal to “keep your head up” and fight through the difficult times.

Dhant entered the semifinal on the back of four consecutive victories, including his quarterfinal win over Kimbert Alintozon and a title-fight victory over India’s Chungreng Koren at Matrix Fight Night.

Murdoch, meanwhile, came into the bout unbeaten and had established himself as a rising prospect with two consecutive title defences at Hex Fight Series, one of Australia’s leading MMA promotions.

With the semifinal victory, Dhant has moved one step closer to earning a coveted UFC contract. He must now win the Road to UFC Season 5 bantamweight final and emerge as champion of the eight-man, single-elimination tournament to secure his place in the UFC.

Published on Aug 28, 2026