With Khabib Nurmagomedov now retired and Fedor Emelianenko quickly to hitch him, area stays on the summit of Russian MMA for some new champions – however who amongst them is finest positioned to carve out legendary standing in MMA?
A bit over a 12 months in the past in Abu Dhabi, a tearful Khabib introduced his plans to step away from blended martial arts with an undefeated, impeccable 29-Zero file – a profession ledger which can fairly probably by no means see its equal.
However in doing so, the Dagestan icon created a vacuum on the summit of Russian MMA which, significantly when coupled with the 45-year-old Fedor’s personal impending exit, leaves the throne unoccupied and awaiting a brand new standard-bearer.
So, who among the many newest wave of Russian MMA star is most geared up to take action within the UFC? RT Sport takes a have a look at a few of the brightest stars flying the Russian flag at MMA’s high desk.
Petr Yan
It might be convincingly argued that Yan is already the standout Russian blended martial artist on this planet immediately. The previous ACB and UFC bantamweight champion has laid waste to virtually each fighter he has confronted within the Octagon, as much as and together with the battle through which he misplaced his UFC 135lbs title for an unlawful blow delivered to Aljamain Sterling in a battle through which he was cruising.
Yan once more underscored his standing because the world’s high bantamweight final weekend in Abu Dhabi with a five-round resolution win in opposition to the robust American Cory Sandhagen, a battle which earned him an interim UFC title and a transparent path to redemption in a rematch with Sterling.
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That bout is ready to happen someday in early-to-mid 2022, at which level the fighter nicknamed ‘No Mercy’ is predicted to indicate precisely that to a fighter many see as a placeholder preserving the title belt heat for its rightful proprietor.
Islam Makhachev
The person anointed by Khabib Nurmagomedov as his true successor, Islam Makhachev could be very a lot following the identical blueprint which delivered Khabib UFC gold and a popularity of being one of many best fighters in historical past.
The light-weight fighter was cast on the identical Dagestani wrestling mats as Khabib beneath the watchful eye of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov – and continued in following Khabib’s footsteps when he transplanted his coaching base to the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California.
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The trail has been an often arduous one. Very similar to Khabib’s rise, Makhachev’s lowly rating in his early profession juxtaposed with the savage nature of his performances meant that he was one of the vital prevented fighters within the UFC’s light-weight body – solely lately cracking into higher echelon of the division with a first-round end of the top-ranked Dan Hooker a little bit over every week in the past.
Additional, extra punishing checks certainly await him on the high of the shark-tank 155lbs division. To date, although? Flying colours.
Khamzat Chimaev
What’s there to be stated in regards to the UFC’s newest taking pictures star that hasn’t already been stated? 4 fights, 4 wins, 4 finishes and only one important strike absorbed in all that point.
It’s about as definitive a begin to a UFC profession as has ever been had within the greater than quarter-century historical past of the group and has signposted the Chechen-born Chimaev as one of the vital feared fighters in a talent-rich UFC welterweight division.
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His dominance took a 13-month hiatus after an preliminary frenzy of exercise resulting from a very troublesome bout with Covid-19 however the 27-year-old returned at UFC 267 in opposition to the teak-tough Li Jingliang – and Chimaev confirmed that he hadn’t missed a beat throughout his enforced time away from the game.
Magomed Ankalaev
Of all the highest Russian fighter presently plying their commerce within the UFC, the 16-1 gentle heavyweight Ankalaev is probably the one flying most beneath the radar. Of his eight fights for the promotion to this point, he has tasted defeat only one – a literal last-second submission defeat to Scotland’s Paul Craig in what was his UFC debut again in 2018.
Since then the 29-year-old Makhachkala man has been faultless and took dwelling his greatest scalp so far from Abu Dhabi final weekend when cruised previous former world title challenger Volkan Oezdemir by one-sided unanimous resolution.
Now firmly rooted within the UFC’s 205lbs high ten, Ankalaev has designs on making his mark in a division presently in a state of flux following the departure of Jon Jones and Glover Teixeira’s latest title win – and a battle in opposition to one of many division’s finest is definitely subsequent up.
Alexander Volkov
The Large of Moscow has already made a definitive mark on the UFC’s heavyweight fold in his 5 years with the corporate and did so once more in Abu Dhabi with a win in opposition to the gritty Pole Marcin Tybura to take his latest file to 3 wins from his final 4 – with that sole defeat coming by the hands of France’s excellent interim champion Ciryl Gane.
Ranked fifth at heavyweight, Volkov stays poised for a run on the crown in he can piece collectively two or three extra excessive profile wins.
For now, although, Volkov might be greater than glad with a veteran profession which has seen him declare victories in opposition to the likes of Alistair Overeem, Fabricio Werdum and Stefan Struve.
