5 reasons why Saygid Izagakhmaev might be the next big thing in ONE Championship

#4. Izagakhmaev matches well against ONE Championship lightweight champion Ok Rae Yoon

Current ONE Championship world lightweight champion and 2021 Male Fighter of the Year Ok Rae Yoon is riding in the clouds right now. His historic 2021 campaign saw him debut in ONE and then win the belt before the year ended.

His slick movement and excellent management of distance allowed him to systematically dismantle his opponents using his world-class kickboxing. In his razor-close match against former champion Christian Lee, Ok managed to avoid much of the grappling exchanges. Most of it was due to the fact that Lee wasn't leaning too heavily on grappling as he wanted to trade leather.

Studying the few times that Lee took Ok down or had him in compromising grappling positions, we can see possible holes Saygid Izagakmaev can exploit. The Degastani's style of wrestling is different. Once he gets a hold of his opponent, the only goal is to absolutely smash.

He won't look to engage in a clinch or a takedown only to break away once the opponent defends. Izagakhmaev, like Nurmagomedov, never stops his wrestling attack once he starts. From a low single to a double leg to a back clinch to a suplex, Izagakhmaev will keep attacking until he's put his opponent in a position to be smashed.

If styles make fights, then the ONE debutant has the style to give the champion major problems.

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#3. Izagakhmaev was mentored by Khabib's father, the late great Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov

Many great fighters from the Russian Federation, particularly the Republic of Dagestan, owe a lot to the late Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. The Master of Sports in freestyle wrestling and former army veteran has paved the way for troubled youth to find better lives as martial artists.

Seeing the political instability in the Republic of Dagestan, Abdulmanap saw that an armed conflict would inevitably arise. Because of this, he took responsibility for guiding the youth so it could help them navigate the tumultuous path that lay ahead. Apart from teaching rigorous methods of combat, Abdulmanap also instilled the principles of discipline, honor and respect upon his students.

Since then, he's trained hundreds of fighters that would become world champions. There's, of course, his most famous student, his second son Khabib, who would win the UFC belt and retire undefeated. Other famous fighters who benefited from the tutelage of Abdulmanap are Islam Makhachev, Abubakar Nurmagomedov, and Movlid Khaybulaev, just to name a few.

ONE Championship's Saygid Izagakhmaev is just the latest in a long list of warriors who have found success under the guidance of Abdulmanap. In ONE Championship, we'll see the young Izagakhmaev honor his late mentor by showcasing all he's learned from him inside the cage.

Here's a touching video of fighters paying their respects to the late combat coach: