Emerging lightweight prospect, Abdulaziz Datsilaev, has set his sights on a future move to the UFC in the coming months, it seems — particularly with the 155lbs division crown once more up in the air.
Datsilaev, who boasts an impressive 5-0 professional record in mixed martial arts, made his debut with Fury FC over the course of the weekend, turning in a dominant opening-round win.
Forced the distance just once in his fleeting career, Datsilaev has racked up both submission and knockout victories. And prior to his debut over the weekend, the Miami-based fighter turned in a title win over James Freeman under the banner of regional outfit, All in Combat.
Now setting sights on a rather sizeable leap to the Octagon in a bid to repeat his success at the lightweight limit, Datsilaev joins a laundry list of unbeaten Russian talent sure to have the UFC’s attention already.
With the promotion’s 155 lbs title up for grabs at the end of the month, former lightweight kingpin Charles Oliveira will once more fight for the vacant crown in a showdown against the unbeaten former featherweight kingpin, Ilia Topuria. However, who the next contender will be is still up for debate, which is where Datsilaev wants to step in.
Going viral off the back of his recent win, after sporting a t-shirt emblazoned with the words, “Dana White, Sean Shelby sign me. I will be the next UFC lightweight champion. P4P #1,” Abdulvakhabov has been backed once more to make a splash in the Octagon.
On Instagram this weekend, Datsilaev claimed he would follow in the footsteps of compatriots, Islam Makhachev, and Khabib Nurmagomedov as fighters from the region of Dagestan to mount a successful charge at lightweight.
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Receiving backing from the likes of Octagon mainstay, Gilbert Burns, as well as PFL star, Paul Hughes, Datsilaev seemingly has the ability to win gold — according to those two, at least.
— THE UFCGUY (@the_ufcguy) June 1, 2025
Furthermore, high-level coach Henri Hooft, has also backed Datsilaev to win the crown, as well as decorated striking star, John Wayne Parr.
However, this is not the first occasion Datsilaev’s name has reached the UFC masses. Last year, ahead of UFC 310, his teammate, Shavkat Rakhmonov, choked out another training partner, namely Ian Garry. This, of course, added some fuel to the flames on their eventual showdown to co-headline that end-of-year card.
It also helps that Datsilaev’s Dagestani heritage is highly spoken of in mixed martial arts promotions across the world, especially at the lightweight limit.
Dagestan’s gleaming run at lightweight
Not just taking charge of 155lbs in the UFC, under the Bellator MMA banner, the region of Dagestan appears to be unmatched at that particular limit.
Enjoying an impressive reign at lightweight, Usman Nurmagomedov — the cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov has run roughshod at 155lbs during his promotional tenure.
And like his relative before him, Khabib, he has also enjoyed a stellar career in combat sports, landing himself in the UFC’s Hall of Fame off the back of his retirement in 2021 to boot.
Now set to take his talents to the welterweight limit, Makhackala native, Makhachev is mooted to take on newly-minted champion, Jack Della Maddalena, in his return later this year.
But during his lightweight run, Makhachev would become the most prolific champion in the history of the Octagon — landing four successful title defenses, to boot.
