Islam Makhachev holds the record for most UFC victories among Russian fighters with 17 wins. Alexander Volkov ranks second with 14 victories, followed by Khabib Nurmagomedov with 13. Petr Yan and Magomed Ankalaev are tied with 12 wins each, alongside Nikita Krylov who also has 12 victories. Movsar Evloev, Rustam Khabilov, and Arman Tsarukyan round out the list with 10 UFC wins apiece. This ranking highlights the sustained success of Russian fighters in the UFC over recent years.
Islam Makhachev has cemented his place atop the list of Russian fighters in UFC history, leading all compatriots with 17 promotional victories as of May 2026.
Makhachev, 34, currently holds a remarkable overall record of 28-1-0 and is the reigning welterweight champion, also sitting at the top of the pound-for-pound rankings. Fighting out of Eagles MMA as a southpaw, the 178-centimetre Russian is a precision striker, connecting on 58 percent of his significant strikes while averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes — a testament to his well-rounded dominance.
Second on the all-time list is Alexander Volkov with 14 UFC wins, followed by the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov, who retired with 13 promotional victories and a perfect career record of 29-0-0. Nurmagomedov, now 37, averaged a staggering 5.32 takedowns per 15 minutes across his UFC career, a figure that underscored his suffocating grappling style.
Petr Yan, Magomed Ankalaev, and Nikita Krylov are each tied with 12 UFC wins. Notably, the verified fighter data classifies Krylov as representing Ukraine rather than Russia. The 34-year-old light heavyweight, ranked 13th in his division, stands six-foot-three with a 77-inch reach and lands significant strikes at a rate of 4.36 per minute with a 54 percent accuracy mark. Movsar Evloev, Rustam Khabilov, and Arman Tsarukyan round out the group with 10 UFC wins apiece.
Why it matters
- Makhachev's record places him in rare company as both the winningest Russian fighter in UFC history and the current pound-for-pound number one
- Khabib's legacy remains firmly intact at third on the list despite having been retired for several years
- The depth of the list — nine fighters with double-digit UFC wins — reflects the sustained pipeline of elite talent emerging from the region
