The signing of Abubakar Vagaev and Magomedsharap Gasanov to the UFC is being attributed to their high-profile connections rather than typical recruitment. For years, top ACA fighters couldn't secure UFC contracts, but Vagaev and Gasanov, both grappling-heavy fighters from the CIS region, were signed through influential backing. Vagaev was reportedly signed with Khamzat Chimaev's support, while Gasanov came through Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev's connections. The author speculates this may have involved negotiation leverage. The piece notes that Dana White typically dislikes ground-control specialists from the CIS region, making these signings unusual. Despite being scheduled for prelims in a three-round bout, the matchup between these two is generating significant excitement in Russian-speaking MMA circles, with both Chimaev and Khabib expected to corner their respective fighters.
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Fight AnnouncementMay 26