Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev Eyes Top 10 Leap Against Nikita Krylov at UFC 333

Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev has spent less time inside the Octagon than most fighters spend walking to it. Across three UFC appearances he's logged four minutes and three seconds of cage time, three first-round finishes, and a grand total of nine strikes absorbed. On Saturday at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi, the unbeaten 25-year-old asks for his toughest test yet: Nikita Krylov, a 34-year-old veteran with a 31-12 record and 22 UFC appearances to his name.

This is Yakhyaev's fourth walk to the cage in under a year, counting his 2025 Contender Series win over Alik Lorenz. He raced to 3-0 by needing less than four minutes combined to finish Rafael Cerquiera, Brendson Ribeiro and Julius Walker — the last of whom lasted eight seconds. While Contender Series classmates like Josh Hokit and Tommy McMillen have grabbed more headlines, the Russian light heavyweight has quietly stacked stoppages.

The Veteran Measuring Stick

Krylov is exactly the kind of gatekeeper matchmakers hand to fast-rising prospects, and he's been good at the job. 'The Miner' has 29 of his 31 wins inside the distance and sits among the rare UFC fighters with double-digit knockouts and submissions both. He's previously slowed the climbs of Alexander Gustafsson, Ryan Spann and Modestas Bukauskas — the same role he'll play opposite Yakhyaev.

Yakhyaev isn't shy about why he wanted this fight. He said that after his win in Baku he felt ready for the top 10, and he asked for a ranked, experienced opponent in the cage. Krylov fits the brief. The prospect also doubled down on a familiar promise, joking that he'd like to finish things in five seconds, Masvidal-style — and if not five, then six, and if not six, then seven.

Composure Over Chaos

What stands out about Yakhyaev isn't the trash talk; it's the calm. Newcomers often treat their UFC debuts like a street fight, dumping adrenaline and abandoning game plans. Yakhyaev does the opposite. He's pitched shutouts in two of his three wins, absorbing zero strikes, and the third ended with a rear-naked choke after two takedowns. He says the fans fuel him, but the discipline comes from preparation — knowing every move before it happens.

His one concern against Krylov is distance, not duration. Yakhyaev has only hit the scorecards once in his career and has never been past the second round, but he insists his camp trains for full three-round fights and that his conditioning is sound. He also claims a pile of backup plans — B, C, D, E — and figures at least one will land. UFC 333 kicks off at a special time, with the main card going live at 2pm ET on October 24 from Etihad Arena.