Josias Musasa vs Otari Tanzilovi — Fight recap

Josias Musasa earned a split-decision victory over Otari Tanzilovi on September 10, 2024, in a closely contested three-round bout that showcased contrasting approaches. Tanzilovi landed the cleaner striking, connecting on 68 of 94 significant strikes (72%) compared to Musasa's 50 of 113 (44%), and notably landed 30 of 33 body shots with precision.

However, Musasa controlled the fight's trajectory through grappling, converting his only takedown attempt and maintaining 4:06 of control time versus Tanzilovi's 3:51, while also landing one submission attempt to keep his opponent defensive. Tanzilovi's wrestling proved problematic, converting only 4 of 16 takedown attempts (25%), which limited his ability to dictate the pace despite superior striking output.

The split decision reflected the fight's competitive nature, with judges divided on whether Tanzilovi's striking volume and accuracy outweighed Musasa's wrestling control and submission threat. The victory suggests Musasa can compete at a higher level despite being out-struck, though his need to land more volume and accuracy at this weight class remains evident.