Athletes
Fighters on the Rise | UFC Abu Dhabi
Highlighting Three Promising Competitors To Track Starting This Weekend
Saturday’s return to Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi is an embarrassment of riches for anyone interested in getting in on the ground floor with some intriguing new additions and emerging names in the UFC.
The 13-fight card features six newcomers, four with unblemished records, as well as a pair of ranked heavyweights still early in their UFC journeys, a Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) grad looking to recapture some of the buzz that accompanied his arrival in the Octagon, plus a host of others that you absolutely should be paying close attention to if you enjoy action fighters with high upsides.
Saturday's Full Fight Card Breakdown
Honestly, there were more athletes in consideration for inclusion in this edition of Fighters on the Rise than any other instalment this year. Here’s a closer look at the three that topped the extensive list.
Islam Dulatov
It has been just over a year since Dulatov made his promotional debut at UFC 318 in New Orleans, and hopefully fans won’t have to wait this long to see the dangerous welterweight compete again.
WATCH: Islam Dulatov: 'I Don't Get Paid By The Minute' | UFC Abu Dhabi
A member of the DWCS Class of ’24, Dulatov pushed his winning streak to a dozen and maintained his 100-percent finishing rate through his debut, swarming and stopping Adam Fugitt in the final minute of their clash in the French Quarter. It was a similar effort to his Contender Series victory, with Dulatov flashing his striking acumen, but biding his time before shifting the fight on a dime with a single blow and chasing down the finish. Fugitt went from “starting to have success with low kicks” to asleep on the canvas in a flash, and Dulatov instantly established himself as one to watch in the division.
The 27-year-old has all the makings of a potential star: outstanding height and reach for the division, razor-sharp striking skills, a proven ability to finish fights, and, in his spare time, he just so happens to be a fashion model as well. The only thing that has kept him from already rocketing up the ranks and building a ton of momentum has been his absence from the Octagon.
Saturday night in Abu Dhabi, he’s paired off with the returning Wellington Turman in a possible showcase fight that also carries “trap fight” potential. Turman hasn’t fought in over two years and has struggled in the UFC but had a great deal of success as a young upstart and isn’t someone to be overlooked.
READ: The Reintroduction of Islam Dulatov
If Dulatov can maintain his winning ways and earn another bonus-worthy finish, his star should continue to rise, and then it will all come down to how quickly we see him inside the Octagon again.
Magomed Zaynukov
The man his teammates call “Chanco” hits the UFC Octagon for the first time carrying heaps of expectations after setting a record for the most significant strikes landed in a Contender Series bout.
Zaynukov, who comes from the Abdulmanap School run by Khabib Nurmagomedov and home to welterweight champ Islam Makhachev (and many others), arrives with a perfect 8-0 record since transitioning to MMA following a decorated career as a kickboxer. The 31-year-old, who competed twice under the UAE Warriors banner is much more of a striker than most of those under the guidance of the former UFC lightweight champ, that shouldn’t give anyone the impression that he cannot or will not wrestle, much in the same way Umar Nurmagomedov prefers to get loose on the feet, but will take you down and grind you out if that is what is needed to get a win.
Like a number of prospects that have hit the Octagon in recent years through DWCS, it’s difficult to get a real read on where Zaynukov immediately fits in the weight class because of the level of competition he faced on the way up, which is why Saturday’s pairing with fellow unbeaten newcomer Damian Rzepecki is so interesting. The young Polish fighter is in a similar position — and was another in consideration for this piece — having gone 10-0 with nine finishes to begin his career while standing in with solid, but not spectacular competition.
REGISTER YOUR INTEREST: Noche UFC | UFC Edmonton
This is a chance for Zaynukov to instantly make a statement and show that he’s the latest from this standout team ready to make a push forward in their weight class.
Magomed Tuchalov
Light heavyweight remains the shallowest division in the UFC, boasting one more active fighter than the heavyweight ranks, but far fewer new names generating real buzz at the moment, which is why Tuchalov’s debut is worth paying close attention to this weekend.
Undefeated in six pro bouts with all of his wins coming inside the distance, the 26-year-old Russian, who fights out of Dubai and claimed the UAE Warriors light heavyweight title with a first-round stoppage win over UFC alum Caio Machado in March, currently profiles as someone with the potential to make a quick rise through the ranks, similar to how Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev is currently moving.
Standing six-foot-five, his frame and size are tremendous, and he clearly has keen finishing instincts, which lend themselves to Tuchalov, in theory, being able to navigate the shallow end of the talent pool without too much trouble. Of course, we’ve seen plenty of promising competitors hit the big stage and shrink under the spotlight, which is why his matchup with Brendson Ribeiro is must-see TV on Saturday.
MORE UFC ABU DHABI: Magomed Ankalaev: 'I'm 100 Percent Sure I Will Get The Belt Back' | Dustin Jacoby: 'I've Been Knocking People Out My Entire Career' | Mike Davis: 'They Won't Overlook Me Anymore'
The 29-year-old Brazilian has four times as much experience as Tuchalov and seven UFC starts under his belt but also went the distance with Machado in a competitive, low-output matchup that resulted in “The Gorilla” getting his hand raised inside the Octagon for the first time. While the MMA math isn’t always math’ing, it is a little something that should pique people’s interest as we head into this one on Saturday.
Perhaps more than any division in the promotion, light heavyweight feels like one where you could drop one of these impressive, young talents in with someone from the established set carrying numbers next to their names, and I would not be the least bit shocked to see the neophytes come out ahead. Right now, Tuchalov looks like he should be included in that grouping, but we’ll find out for sure this weekend in Abu Dhabi.
UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs Guskov took place live from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on July 25, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!