Bilal Hasan's Perfect Record Comes to a Halt: What Are the Chances for The IndoNinja to Bounce Back?

The loss to Luis Gurule at UFC 334 marks a new test for Bilal Hasan's career journey in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The fighter nicknamed The IndoNinja has had his unbeaten record in professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) finally brought to an end.

Bilal lost via split decision in this flyweight bout held at Madison Square Garden, New York on Sunday 15 November 2026.

Two judges scored the fight 29-28 in favour of Gurule, while the remaining judge awarded the same scoreline to Bilal. This result updates Bilal's professional record to 10 wins and 1 loss.

That said, this defeat does not necessarily represent a major setback for the 25-year-old fighter. Bilal is still in the early stages of his UFC run, and he retains the opportunity to prove his quality now that he has gained experience competing against an opponent with a distinct fighting Profile.

Prior to facing Gurule, Bilal had already turned heads with his impressive performances. He earned his UFC contract after securing a knockout win over Mridul Saikia on Dana White's Contender Series.

His octagon debut was also a successful one. Bilal stopped Nilson Rojas via second round knockout at UFC Shanghai in August 2026.

This run of results established him as one of the most exciting prospects in the flyweight division. Bilal was even rewarded with the main card opening slot at UFC 334 inside Madison Square Garden.

However, his bout against Gurule exposed a number of areas that will require improvement before Bilal can progress further up the flyweight rankings.

Wrestling Defence Becomes Bilal's Key Focus

The biggest critical evaluation point from this loss is Bilal's ability to defend takedowns and cope with sustained grappling pressure.

Against Gurule, Bilal actually showed very promising striking capability. He used his reach advantage and varied kicking game effectively to trouble his opponent throughout the first round.

However, momentum shifted completely once Gurule successfully took the fight to the mat for the final two rounds.

Bilal struggled badly to escape the top control imposed by the United States fighter. None of his attempts to stand back up or hunt for submission holds managed to turn the tide of the match.

This is now a critical priority for Bilal. He will need to improve his takedown defence, positional transitions, and ground survival ability when matched against wrestling specialists.

Should he successfully shore up these weaknesses, Bilal will develop into a far more well-rounded competitor. Opponents will no longer only have to fear his stand-up striking, but also his capabilities once the fight goes to the floor.

Path To Bounce Back In The UFC Flyweight Division

This defeat to Gurule can also serve as a valuable learning experience to build Bilal's maturity as a professional fighter.

At just 25 years old, he still has ample time to develop his skill set and accumulate experience competing at the highest level of global MMA.

Furthermore, one single loss does not erase the proven potential Bilal already demonstrated through his prior string of dominant, impressive victories.

The real test now is How Bilal responds to this setback. He will need to show tangible technical improvement, and prove that he can adapt to overcome opponents with contrasting fighting styles.

As of this time, no official announcement has been made regarding Bilal's next opponent or fight schedule.

For this reason, his next octagon appearance will be a defining moment that reveals how well The IndoNinja can rebound from the first professional loss of his career.

This is not the end of Bilal Hasan's UFC journey. If anything, this defeat to Luis Gurule can act as a vital evaluation point to build a stronger foundation before he returns to compete at the top of the flyweight division.