TLDR
- Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev defeated Brendson Ribeiro via rear-naked choke at 2:52 of Round 1
- Yakhyaev improved his undefeated record to 9-0 in mixed martial arts
- The 25-year-old has now finished seven of his nine career wins in the first round
- Ribeiro landed an early high kick but Yakhyaev recovered to secure a takedown
- Yakhyaev’s finish rate now stands at 89 percent with two UFC victories
Sources: cagesidepress.com | mmajunkie.usatoday.com | lowkickmma.com
Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev maintained his perfect professional record at UFC Vegas 115 on Friday night, submitting Brendson Ribeiro with a rear-naked choke in the first round. The 25-year-old Russian prospect improved to 9-0 in his mixed martial arts career with the victory at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas.
Yakhyaev entered the bout as a massive -1600 betting favorite against Ribeiro, who came into the fight having lost his previous two bouts by finish. The light heavyweight matchup proved to be brief but action-packed from the opening bell.
The fighters met in the center of the octagon and immediately began trading strikes. Despite being a heavy underdog, Ribeiro found early success in the standup exchange.
Abdulrakhman Yakhyaev's lightning-fast submission of Raffael Cerqueira in just 33 seconds at UFC Qatar raises eyebrows: is the MMA world ready for another potential superstar?
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Early Scare Leads to Dominant Finish
Ribeiro landed a clean high kick directly on Yakhyaev’s chin early in the round. The shot appeared to land flush, but Yakhyaev showed a strong chin and was not visibly hurt by the strike.
As Ribeiro found himself off-balance following the kick, Yakhyaev capitalized on the opportunity. The Russian fighter shot in for a takedown, absorbing a few punches in the process, but successfully brought Ribeiro to the canvas.
Once the fight hit the ground, Yakhyaev’s grappling skills took over. He immediately began landing ground-and-pound strikes on the Brazilian fighter.
Ribeiro attempted to defend himself with a kimura submission attempt. However, Yakhyaev quickly escaped the submission threat and transitioned to Ribeiro’s back.
From the dominant back control position, Yakhyaev locked in a rear-naked choke. Ribeiro was forced to tap out at the 2:52 mark of the opening round.
Impressive Finish Rate Continues
The victory marked Yakhyaev’s seventh career first-round finish. With nine total wins and eight finishes, his finish rate now sits at an impressive 89 percent.
All three of Yakhyaev’s UFC opponents have fallen inside the opening frame during his promotional run. The win improved his UFC record to 2-0 since joining the organization.
In his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping, Yakhyaev expressed satisfaction with the performance. “I’m really happy. We made plan to finish in the first round and we did it,” Yakhyaev said.
When asked about his next opponent, the undefeated prospect remained open to any matchup. “It doesn’t matter who is next. I just want to fight,” he stated.
Ribeiro dropped to 17-10 in his professional career with the loss. The Brazilian fighter’s UFC record fell to 3-4 following his third consecutive defeat.
The light heavyweight division currently has a vacant title, which will be contested next week at UFC 327. Former champion Jiri Prochazka will face Carlos Ulberg for the belt in that bout.
With his perfect record intact and impressive finishing ability, Yakhyaev appears positioned for bigger opportunities in the 205-pound division. At just 25 years old, the Russian prospect has time to develop and climb the rankings in what many consider an open weight class.
