Deep dive: How Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev performs when fights go past round one

Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev, known for first-round finishes, has shown strong adaptability in longer bouts. Against Nazhmudin Yusupov in 2022, he survived a tough opening round before finishing with a triangle choke in the second. In a five-round decision win over Nikolai Kovalenko — a master of sport in judo — Yakhyaev recovered from a knockdown in round two to dominate the remaining three rounds with takedowns and ground control, ultimately winning unanimously.