Burgeoning welterweight contender and Khabib Nurmagomedov teammate Saygid Izagakhmaev makes his Octagon debut on Saturday, taking on Nicolas Dalby at UFC Fight Night in Doha, Qatar.
Izagakhmaev (22–2) cruises into his UFC debut on a five-fight winning streak, while Dalby (23–6–1) aims to snap a two-fight skid.
Izagakhmaev enters as a staggering -345 moneyline favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Dalby sits as a +275 underdog. The total is set at 2.5 rounds. Here’s my best bet for Saturday night’s welterweight showdown.
Nicolas Dalby vs. Saygid Izagakhmaev Preview
Dalby, 41, enters Saturday on the heels of a two-fight skid, punctuated by a second-round knockout against Randy Brown in April. Still, “Danish Dynamite” remains a dangerous opponent in any setting – let alone a UFC debut.
Standing 5-foot-11 with a 74-inch reach, Dalby has had a largely successful second run inside the Octagon, going 6–3 with a no-contest since rejoining the promotion in 2019. Before his back-to-back losses, he punctuated a four-fight winning streak with a stunning, “Fight of the Night” upset over Gabriel Bonfim, now the No. 11-ranked welterweight in the world.
Dalby blends surgical striking with relentless pressure and a massive gas tank, landing 4.05 significant strikes per minute at 43% accuracy. Eleven of the veteran’s 23 wins have come inside the distance, including seven knockouts and four submissions.
Izagakhmaev, 31, hasn’t competed in an MMA setting in roughly three years, but has stayed active on the grappling scene, recently submitting Khotam Boynazarov in under two minutes at Karate Combat 54. The last time we saw the Team Khabib product inside the cage, he capped a 3–0 record in ONE Championship with a dominant first-round TKO against Japanese MMA icon Shinya Aoki.
The Russian contender stands 6-foot-1 with a 74-inch reach, pairing ruthless grappling aggression with suffocating top control. Sixteen of his 22 wins have come by finish, including three knockouts and 13 submissions.
Nicolas Dalby vs. Saygid Izagakhmaev Pick, Best Bet
Dalby is one of the more durable fighters on the active UFC roster, having been finished only once in his career. He’s also shown flashes of scrambling brilliance against high-level wrestlers. Still, a career 58% takedown defense is worrisome against an aggressive Sambo specialist like Izagakhmaev.
Three years ago, Khabib forecasted that Izagakhmaev would become not only the best fighter in his camp, but the best in the world. Holding a favorable stylistic matchup and 10-year age advantage, count on Izagakhmaev to arrive with authority in his UFC debut.
