Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev defeated Nikita Krylov by TKO (strikes) at 2:38 of the first round at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi. Yakhyaev remains undefeated, and the stoppage marks the first time Krylov has been finished by strikes in that fashion against him on the card's Etihad Arena stage.
Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev kept his perfect record intact at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi, stopping Nikita Krylov by TKO (strikes) at 2:38 of the first round, as first reported by MMA Fighting. The result came on October 24 at Etihad Arena.
Yakhyaev, 25, now stands at 10-0. The orthodox fighter has been consistently quick inside the Octagon: his three most recent recorded fights before this one all ended in the first round, two by submission and one by knockout. His most recent recorded win came on June 27, 2026, a first-round KO/TKO of Julius Walker. His numbers show a fighter who blends volume with accuracy, landing 7.4 significant strikes per minute at 67 percent, while averaging 11.49 takedowns and 7.7 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Krylov, 34, is a Ukrainian light heavyweight ranked 15th in the division, with a record that now reads 31-13 after the loss. Known as "The Miner" and fighting out of Raty Team, he entered the night on a rough stretch. His most recent recorded fight was a third-round KO/TKO loss to Robert Whittaker at UFC 329 on July 11, 2026. Before that, he beat Modestas Bukauskas by third-round KO/TKO in January, and he lost by first-round KO/TKO to Bogdan Guskov in July 2025. That makes this his third stoppage defeat in his last four recorded fights.
The physical gap was slim. Yakhyaev stands six-foot-two (188 cm) with a 78-inch (198 cm) reach, while Krylov is an inch taller at six-foot-three (191 cm) but gives up an inch of reach with 77 inches (196 cm). Krylov's own career numbers are solid, at 4.38 significant strikes per minute with 54 percent accuracy, but Yakhyaev's rate of 7.4 is about 3 strikes per minute higher.
Why it matters
- Yakhyaev adds a 10th straight win without a loss and another first-round finish to his record.
- Krylov, ranked 15th, absorbs a third stoppage loss in four recorded outings, which complicates his standing at the bottom of the light heavyweight rankings.
- The 9-year age gap, 34 against 25, underlines the generational contrast in the matchup.
Saturday, October 24, 2026
