Khabib Nurmagomedov’s protégé linked with UFC debut shares photo with Dana White

There have been rumblings for a while now that Saygid Izagakhmaev has put pen to paper with the UFC.

Khabib mentioned it himself a few months back, even saying the debut would happen this year.

The 31-year-old welterweight has spent over 15 years training alongside Khabib and was also coached by Khabib’s father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.

Izagakhmaev had a brief stint in ONE Championship, going 3-0 before stepping away following his win over Shinya Aoki back in November 2022.

He has not stepped into the cage since then but still holds an impressive record of 22 wins and just two losses, including 12 victories by submission.

Following up on several reports about his potential move to the UFC, Izagakhmaev posted a photo on social media standing next to Dana White, captioned: “Officially, from this day on, there is a new captain on the ship.”

Saygid Izagakhmaev praised by Khabib Nurmagomedov

Before Saygid Izagakhmaev’s final bout in the promotion, Khabib Nurmagomedov spoke to ONE Championship and offered a glowing endorsement of his teammate.

“I’ve been training with Saygid my whole life. I know how much he improves every year. I know how dedicated he is. He’s getting physically stronger and stronger. He’s getting more and more experienced from fight to fight and soon, he’s going to be the best – not only in our team, but in the world. I have a lot of faith in him.”

While his time with ONE Championship did not quite go as planned, Izagakhmaev still made an impact during his short stint there.

His last defeat came against Carlston Harris in 2021, who has since put together a 4-3 record in the UFC welterweight division.