The UFC's historic first visit to Qatar just got more intriguing with the addition of a welterweight bout that pits veteran Nicolas Dalby against surging Dagestani prospect Saygid Izagakhmaev. The matchup, scheduled for November 22 at the ABHA Arena in Qatar, represents a classic gatekeeper-versus-prospect scenario that could have significant implications for the 170-pound division. Expand Tweet

Izagakhmaev, a 31-year-old protégé of the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov who trains at the famed Team Khabib gym in Dagestan, brings an impressive 22-2 record into his octagon debut. The Russian standout has been inactive since November 2022, when he delivered a thunderous first-round TKO victory over Japanese MMA icon Shinya Aoki under the ONE Championship banner.

Standing across the cage from t

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