The country of Russia has contributed immensely to the sport of MMA. Russian MMA icons like the noted Fedor Emilianenko fought across multiple MMA promotions in the world and helped the sport gain recognition in various countries. Well, several iconic Russian fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov and ‘The Last Emperor’ may have bid goodbye to the cage. But there’s a plethora of other Russians who are still taking the world of MMA by storm. The UFC also isn’t an exception to this phenomenon.
The UFC has signed several Russian fighters to date. But most fans may agree that none of them could have an impact like Khabib ‘The Eagle’ Nurmagomedov. However, after ‘The Eagle’s’ retirement, another Russian established his rule on the UFC’s lightweight division. So today, let’s take a look at how many noteworthy Russian fighters are there in the biggest MMA promotion of the world currently.
Current UFC Lightweight Champion – Islam Makhachev
The Dagestani fighter who reclaimed Khabib’s UFC lightweight gold after his retirement was none other than his bosom friend, Islam Makhachev. He hails from Makhachkala in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia. The current lightweight champ also boasts the apex spot in the UFC’s top pound-for-pound fighters list. Makhachev had his last UFC fight at UFC 294, where he earned a KO victory over the current UFC featherweight champ, Alexander Volkanovski.
Arman Tsarukyan
Tsarukyan was born to Armenian parents in Georgia. But his family relocated to Russia when he was just three years old. Tsarukyan is currently ranked #4 in the UFC’s lightweight division. He is also emerging as one of the strongest contenders for the divisional title.
Muhammad Mokaev
The noted UFC flyweight, Mokaev, boasts an undefeated UFC record to date. Although he was born in Dagestan as well, Mokaev traveled to England along with his family at the age of 12. Although he currently sits at the #8 spot, ‘The Punisher’ is still establishing himself as one of the most formidable flyweights of the promotion.
Petr Yan
The former UFC bantamweight king Petr Yan is also another Russian on the current UFC roster. Reports say that he hails from Dudinka in Russia. A lot of fans view #5 ranked Yan as one of the most dominant bantamweights in the promotion.
Umar Nurmagomedov
Most UFC fans may know that the noted UFC bantamweight Umar Nurmagomedov is Khabib’s cousin. However, he is building a strong legacy of his own as well. There are rumors that no one in his division is willing to fight him due to his superb prowess. The #14 ranked Umar currently boasts an unblemished pro-MMA record of 16-0.
Nassourdine Imavov
The #11 ranked UFC middleweight, Nassourdine Imavov, also hails from Dagestan, Russia. However, reports say that he moved from his native city Khasavyurt to France when he was just six. The all-round prowess of the Dagestan native has proved to be a trouble for the other fighters in his division as well.
Alexander Volkov
Several fans may identify Alexander Volkov by the samurai mask tattoo on his back. But his superb in-cage skills have also amazed fans several times to date. Volkov’s striking is his biggest weapon. Currently ‘Drago’ holds the #6 spot in UFC’s heavyweight rankings.
Sergei Pavlovich
Well, the noted Russian UFC heavyweight Sergei Pavlovich may have lost his last bout via a KO. Still, several fans may happily consider him as one of the most furious heavyweights in the current UFC roster. Pavlovich hails from the village of Orlovsky, Rostov Oblast in the southern part of Russia. A lot of UFC pundits have often judged his striking to be the best among UFC heavyweights.
A look at other MMA promotions around the world will reveal that they contain a healthy number of Russian fighters as well. The Russia-based MMA promotions ensure that the local talents get proper opportunities to represent themselves. Many such athletes from Russia are making it to the top with the proper framework of MMA in the country. The future of Russian fighters looks bright in the UFC as well.
