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Dagestani fighters, and indeed fighters from the Caucasus in general, are dominating MMA. In the past, Brazilian mixed martial artists were at the helm of the sport's progression. Royce Gracie revolutionized the grappling element of MMA with the introduction of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Later, Anderson Silva accelerated the evolution of MMA striking with his dazzling use of feints and counterpunching. Today, MMA is dominated by fighters from Dagestan. The combined efforts of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev introduced the world to a new style of wrestling and grappling.
Thus far, no one has been able to stop Dagestani wrestling. Both Nurmagomedov and Makhachev used it to capture the UFC lightweight title on separate occasions. With more fighters emerging from the region, this list looks at five Dagestani fighters with the potential to become champions next year.
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#5. Magomed Ankalaev, UFC light heavyweight
In the eyes of many spectators, including fellow UFC fighters, Magomed Ankalaev is the uncrowned winner of his UFC 282 clash with Jan Błachowicz. While the Dagestani light heavyweight fighter didn't have an easy outing and had to overcome his fair share of adversity, many felt that he did enough to defeat his foe.
Unfortunately, the judges declared the bout a draw. Regardless, Ankalaev's ability to match a former light heavyweight champion like Błachowicz speaks volumes about his skill level. He's very much capable of capturing the 205 lbs title that many believe he should be holding right now.
His ability to reposition his feet within seconds of marching his opponent down is unmatched. Ankalaev does it so quickly that his foes hit nothing but air while exposing themselves to his counterpunches. Furthermore, his wrestling is enough to keep any fight standing, where he has a cerebral advantage over most foes.
#4. Umar Nurmagomedov, UFC bantamweight
There is currently no surname more famous than 'Nurmagomedov' in MMA. Immediate links are often made to retired MMA legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, regardless of familial ties or a lack thereof. In the case of Umar Nurmagomedov, however, the links are understandable and even warranted.
The 26-year-old is a cousin of 'The Eagle' and is also an undefeated presence in the UFC bantamweight division. Like his more accomplished cousin, the 135'er possesses a strong wrestling and grappling skill set that can be used to smother his opponents.
However, what makes him especially dangerous is how he uses his kicks to stop his opponent's boxing. His hip dexterity enables him to throw kicks with the same ease that others have with throwing punches. He combines this with his distance management to make himself very difficult to strike with.
There are very few strong grapplers at bantamweight. Nurmagomedov is capable of both high-level grappling and striking. He can grapple with the strikers and strike with the grapplers en route to a potential title win.
#3. Ikram Aliskerov, UFC middleweight
The unfortunate truth of the matter is that Ikram Aliskerov is more well-known for being one of Khamzat Chimaev's most brutal wins than anything else. However, that fight must be observed with a level of nuance. The Dagestani grappling phenom is, thus far, the only fighter who 'Borz' couldn't outwrestle.
Aliskerov defended every single one of Chimaev's takedowns with supreme ease. Aliskerov himself is an elite-level wrestler and a four-time combat sambo world champion. While he lost to 'Borz' via KO, he gave him his toughest fight, second only to Gilbert Burns.
He recently signed with the UFC, and his specific skill set and history with Chimaev could fast-track him to a title fight at middleweight. The UFC middleweight division is devoid of strong wrestlers other than Derek Brunson and Bo Nickal. Furthermore, the top-level middleweights exhibit poor defensive wrestling.
Many 185'ers expose their backs after they get on all fours to stand up from takedowns. This is exceptionally dangerous against a fighter with Aliskerov's ground game. If he's fast-tracked like Alex Pereira was, he stands a good chance of outwrestling the promotion's middleweights en route to championship status.
#2. Shamil Gasanov, ONE featherweight
There is no shortage of skilled fighters from Dagestan. Shamil Gasanov is yet another undefeated phenom from the region. Instead of the UFC, 'The Cobra' signed with ONE Championship. The 27-year-old is in the prime of his youth and is likely a win away from a title fight in the promotion's featherweight division.
Gasanov possesses a well-rounded skill set that grants him a level of adaptability that many of his other compatriots lack. A large number of Dagestani mixed martial artists are specialists. They're mainly grapplers with a suffocating top game. The purpose of their striking is usually to act as a supporting tool for their grappling.
While 'The Cobra' is an exceptional grappler as well, he's skilled in every facet of MMA. This has earned him a high finishing rate of over 80%. He recently defeated the promotion's second-highest-ranked featherweight, Jae Woong Kim. Not only did he defeat him, but he also finished him with a rear-naked choke in the first round.
#1. Muhammad Mokaev, UFC flyweight
Muhammad Mokaev hails from Dagestan but has acquired English citizenship. While this differentiates him from his Dagestani peers, his skill set is similar to theirs. 'The Punisher' is a monstrous grappler in a division that's sorely lacking in fully realized grappling talent.
Thus far, the undefeated Dagestani phenom has rag-dolled almost everyone he's faced throughout his career. His 10-0 professional record might seem young, but that's only because Mokaev has an unprecedented amateur MMA record of 23 wins and zero losses.
Other than his overpowering grappling, 'The Punisher' is a towering flyweight. He stands at 5'9" in height. He's one of the largest flyweights in UFC history, granting him incredible leverage in grappling exchanges.
Due to the UFC's need for fresh matchups at 125 lbs, Mokaev could very well win the title next year.
