Khamzat Chimaev signed Vagaev to the UFC and Khabib Nurmagomedov signed Gasanov, both bypassing matchmakers by going directly through organization bosses. The matchmakers, unhappy at being presented with a fait accompli, reportedly retaliated by initially booking Gasanov and Vagaev against each other, then removing Gasanov from the bout on dopingtesting grounds despite his reported readiness. Vagaev was subsequently told the only available fight for him was at 77 kg against Saygid Izagakhmaev, a pairing the matchmakers calculated would either sideline Vagaev if he refused or hand Izagakhmaev — another fighter they are reportedly displeased with — a difficult contest.
Reports emerging in late June 2026 suggest a behind-the-scenes power struggle between UFC matchmakers and two of the sport's most prominent Russian-speaking figures — Khamzat Chimaev and Khabib Nurmagomedov — has led to a series of reshuffled bouts and deliberate scheduling friction. The situation, which has not been officially confirmed, points to significant tension over how fighters are being brought into the organization.
According to the reports, Chimaev secured a UFC contract for a fighter named Vagaev by going directly to organization bosses, bypassing the matchmaking department entirely. Nurmagomedov did the same for a fighter identified as Gasanov. Matchmakers, presented with both signings as a done deal, reportedly pushed back by initially booking Vagaev and Gasanov against each other. Gasanov was then pulled from that pairing over doping-testing concerns, despite being described as ready to compete.
Vagaev subsequently found himself with a single option on the table: a bout at 77 kilograms against Saygid Izagakhmaev. The framing of that offer is telling. Sources suggest matchmakers calculated that Vagaev would either decline and remain sidelined, or accept and face a genuinely difficult test in Izagakhmaev — a fighter the matchmaking team is also reportedly at odds with.
Chimaev, 32, carries a 15-1 record and sits ranked first in the middleweight division and tenth pound-for-pound. He lands significant strikes at a rate of 4.04 per minute with a 60 percent striking accuracy. Nurmagomedov, 37 and long retired at 29-0, remains a towering figure in the sport through his management and mentorship activities. Izagakhmaev, 31, holds a 22-3 record and brings a 58 percent striking accuracy alongside 4 takedowns per 15 minutes of action.
Why it matters
- Matchmaking authority and fighter representation are colliding at an organizational level, with real scheduling consequences
- Izagakhmaev, trained out of the Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov School, being inserted into a difficult contest suggests the reported friction extends beyond just Chimaev and Khabib
- The situation remains unconfirmed and its resolution could shape how the UFC handles manager-driven signings going forward
