UFC matchmakers were placed in a difficult position after Hamzat Chimaev and Khabib Nurmagomedov separately pushed their respective fighters — Abubakar Vagaev and Magomadrasul Gasanov — onto a card through organization bosses without the matchmakers' input. In response, matchmakers first paired Vagaev and Gasanov against each other, then pulled Gasanov citing failed dopings testing clearance, before telling Vagaev his only available fight was against Saygid Izagakhmaev at welterweight. The move was calculated to either push Vagaev back or guarantee Izagakhmaev, another fighter the matchmakers are reportedly unhappy with, a difficult bout.
According to a report that has not been officially confirmed, UFC matchmakers deliberately engineered a welterweight bout between Abubakar Vagaev and Saygid Izagakhmaev as a calculated response to outside pressure over fighter signings — a situation said to have left the matchmaking team frustrated and looking for leverage.
The trouble reportedly began when both Hamzat Chimaev and retired legend Khabib Nurmagomedov separately bypassed the matchmakers entirely, going directly to UFC bosses to get their respective fighters — Vagaev and Magomadrasul Gasanov — placed on a card. Matchmakers initially responded by pairing Vagaev and Gasanov against one another, only for Gasanov to be pulled after reportedly failing to clear doping testing. With Gasanov gone, Vagaev was told his only available opponent was Izagakhmaev — a fight sources suggest was chosen either to discourage Vagaev from accepting or to ensure Izagakhmaev, another fighter matchmakers are reportedly dissatisfied with, faced a stiff challenge.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, the 37-year-old undefeated Russian legend who retired with a flawless 29-0 record, has remained a powerful figure in MMA through his management and mentorship activities since stepping away from competition.
Izagakhmaev, 31, enters the picture as a seasoned welterweight carrying a 22-3 professional record. The Russian fighter, who trains out of the Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov School, stands six feet tall with a 74-inch reach. He is notably precise on the feet, connecting on 58 percent of his significant strikes, and averages four takedown attempts per 15 minutes, suggesting a well-rounded grappling-oriented game.
Why it matters
- The reported incident highlights tension between fighter management circles and UFC matchmakers over roster control.
- Both Vagaev and Izagakhmaev are framed as pawns in a broader organizational dispute, raising questions about how the bout was constructed.
- Izagakhmaev's grappling background and size could make this a genuinely difficult assignment at welterweight, regardless of the circumstances behind the booking.
