| Joshua Culibao | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 24, 1994 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Other names | Kuya |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight | 145 lb (66 kg; 10 st 5 lb) |
| Division | Lightweight Featherweight |
| Reach | 73 in (185 cm) [1] |
| Fighting out of | Sydney, New South Wales |
| Team | Igor MMA |
| Rank | Purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu [2] |
| Years active | 2016–present |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 16 |
| Wins | 11 |
| By knockout | 5 |
| By submission | 1 |
| By decision | 5 |
| Losses | 4 |
| By knockout | 1 |
| By decision | 3 |
| Draws | 1 |
| Other information | |
| Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | |
Joshua Culibao (born May 24, 1994) is an Australian mixed martial artist who competed in the Featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
The youngest of four siblings in a Filipino family, with his mother from Boracay while his father is from Pampanga, [3] [4] he was given the nickname "Kuya", a familial term used in a respectful manner to address an older male relative, brother, or friend, by his teammates at the Sydney-based Igor MMA, since he calls everyone in the gym by the Filipino kin endearment. [5] Having practised taekwondo in his childhood, Culibao eventually started training mixed martial arts in order to lose weight in his adolescent years. [2] [6] [7]
Before signing with the UFC, Culibao was a full-time electrician doing 40-plus-hour workweeks with training on top. [8]
Starting his professional MMA career in 2016, Culibao compiled a perfect 8–0 record on the regional Australian scene, capturing three titles during this time. He won his debut at Superfight MMA 2 on February 19, 2016, by stopping Paul Traish in the first round via TKO. [9] He would win his next two fights in the Urban Fight Night promotion; winning via majority decision against Brad Shortland at UFN 7 on May 7, 2016 [10] and via TKO against Simon Arentz at UFN 8 on August 27, 2016. [11] Culibao would fight his next two bouts in the Hex Fight Series promotion, winning the HEX Featherweight Championship against Raphael Berthet at HFS 7 after dropping his with a body shot and finishing him with soccer kicks. [12] He defended this title at HFS 8 against Jordan Cameron, who he beat in a close bout via split decision. [13] After returning to Urban Fight Nights for one bout which he won via majority decision against James McGlashan, [14] Culibao won the DFC Featherweight Championship against Rodolfo Marques at DFC 7 on November 10, 2018, via head kick and ground and pound. [15] He would then capture the Superfight MMA Featherweight championship against Josh Payne at Superfight MMA 10 on March 1, 2019, winning the bout via TKO in the first round. [16]
Culibao signed with the UFC in February 2020 to replace Jamie Mullarkey on short notice against Jalin Turner at UFC Fight Night: Felder vs. Hooker on February 23, 2020. [17] He lost the fight via second-round knockout. [18]
He made his sophomore appearance against Charles Jourdain at UFC on ESPN: Holm vs. Aldana on October 4, 2020. The bout ended in a split draw, which drew ire with most of the media scoring it for Jourdain. [19] [20] [21]
Culibao faced Shayilan Nuerdanbieke at UFC Fight Night: Font vs. Garbrandt on May 22, 2021. [22] He won the fight by unanimous decision. [23]
Culibao was scheduled to face Damon Jackson on March 12, 2022 UFC Fight Night 203. [24] However, Culibao was pulled from the event for undisclosed reasons and he was replaced by Kamuela Kirk. [25]
Culibao faced Seung Woo Choi on June 11, 2022, at UFC 275. [26] After knocking his opponent down multiple times during the fight, Culibao won the bout via split decision. [27]
Culibao faced Melsik Baghdasaryan on February 12, 2023, at UFC 284. [28] He won the fight via a rear-naked choke submission in the second round. [29]
Culibao faced Lerone Murphy on July 22, 2023, at UFC on ESPN+ 82. [30] He lost the fight via unanimous decision. [31]
Culibao faced Danny Silva on March 16, 2024, at UFC Fight Night 239. [32] At the weigh-in, Silva weighed in at 148.5 pounds, two and a half pounds over the featherweight non-title fight limit. The bout proceeded at catchweight and Silva was fined 20% of his purse which went to Culibao. [33] He lost the bout via split decision. [34]
Culibao faced Ricardo Ramos on August 17, 2024, at UFC 305. [35] He lost the fight by split decision. [36] 8 out of 12 media outlets scored the bout for Culibao. [37]
On February 27, 2025, it was reported that Culibao was removed from the UFC roster. [38]
| 16 matches | 11 wins | 4 losses |
| By knockout | 5 | 1 |
| By submission | 1 | 0 |
| By decision | 5 | 3 |
| Draws | 1 | |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 11–4–1 | Ricardo Ramos | Decision (split) | UFC 305 | August 18, 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | Perth, Australia | |
| Loss | 11–3–1 | Danny Silva | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Tuivasa vs. Tybura | March 16, 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Catchweight (148.5 lb) bout; Silva missed weight. |
| Loss | 11–2–1 | Lerone Murphy | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Aspinall vs. Tybura | July 22, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | London, England | |
| Win | 11–1–1 | Melsik Baghdasaryan | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC 284 | February 12, 2023 | 2 | 2:02 | Perth, Australia | |
| Win | 10–1–1 | Choi Seung-woo | Decision (split) | UFC 275 | June 11, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | Kallang, Singapore | |
| Win | 9–1–1 | Shayilan Nuerdanbieke | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Font vs. Garbrandt | May 22, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Draw | 8–1–1 | Charles Jourdain | Draw (split) | UFC on ESPN: Holm vs. Aldana | October 4, 2020 | 3 | 5:00 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | Return to Featherweight. |
| Loss | 8–1 | Jalin Turner | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Felder vs. Hooker | February 23, 2020 | 2 | 3:01 | Auckland, New Zealand | Lightweight debut. |
| Win | 8–0 | Josh Payne | TKO (punches) | Superfight MMA 10 | March 1, 2019 | 1 | 3:02 | Punchbowl, Australia | Won the vacant Superfight MMA Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 7–0 | Rodolfo Marques | TKO (head kick and punches) | Diamondback FC 7 | November 10, 2018 | 4 | 0:00 | North Adelaide, Australia | Won the vacant DFC Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 6–0 | James McGlashan | Decision (majority) | Urban Fight Night 13 | December 2, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Liverpool, Australia | |
| Win | 5–0 | Jordan Cameron | Decision (split) | Hex Fight Series 8 | March 31, 2017 | 5 | 5:00 | Melbourne, Australia | Defended the HEX Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 4–0 | Raphael Berthet | TKO (punch to the body and soccer kicks) | Hex Fight Series 7 | December 2, 2016 | 5 | 1:35 | Melbourne, Australia | Won the HEX Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 3–0 | Simon Arentz | TKO (punches) | Urban Fight Night 8 | August 27, 2016 | 1 | 4:49 | Liverpool, Australia | Catchweight (146.2 lb) bout; Culibao missed weight. |
| Win | 2–0 | Brad Shortland | Decision (majority) | Urban Fight Night 7 | May 7, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Liverpool, Australia | |
| Win | 1–0 | Paul Traish | TKO (punches) | Superfight MMA 2 | February 19, 2016 | 1 | 4:28 | Sydney, Australia | Featherweight debut. |