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 on the ABHA Arena in Qatar, represents a classic gatekeeper-versus-prospect scenario that might have significant implications for the 170-pound division.
Izagakhmaev, a 31-year-old protégé of the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov who trains on the famed Team Khabib gym in Dagestan, brings a powerful 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.
AND JUST LIKE THAT!!!! 🔥🔥🔥
Saygid Izagakhmaev finishes the legendary Shinya Aoki in R1. #ONE163 #ONEChampionship #MMA #Dagestan #Russia #Singapore #WeAreONE pic.twitter.com/is9TLQY0QP— Armaan (@armaanyounis) November 19, 2022
Standing across the cage from this rising threat shall be Denmark’s Nicolas “Danish Dynamite” Dalby, a battle-tested veteran with a 23-6-1 record and 13 UFC appearances. At 40 years old, Dalby has built a repute as some of the durable fighters in mixed martial arts, having never been stopped in 30 skilled fights until his most up-to-date outing. That iron chin and warrior mentality have carried him through countless wars, including a four-fight winning streak from 2022 to 2023 that featured victories over Warlley Alves, Muslim Salikhov, and Gabriel Bonfim.
High Stakes Clash at UFC Qatar
For Izagakhmaev, the matchup represents a chance to make a right away statement within the UFC’s welterweight division. Facing a proven veteran like Dalby in his promotional debut isn’t any small task, however the Dagestani’s dominant skill set and connection to the Nurmagomedov camp have generated significant buzz. His 31-month layoff because the Aoki victory raises questions on potential ring rust, though his recent submission win at a Karate Combat grappling event in 2025 suggests he’s remained lively in competition.
The stylistic matchup heavily favors the Dagestani grappler on paper. Dalby’s takedown defense sits at 59 percent, while his own takedown accuracy is just 28 percent. Those numbers could prove problematic against a submission specialist like Izagakhmaev, who has finished 13 opponents by submission throughout his profession. Nonetheless, Dalby’s durability, experience, and improving striking game—he lands 4.06 significant strikes per minute with 44 percent accuracy—give him paths to victory if he can keep the fight standing.
The bout adds one other compelling layer to UFC Fight Night 265, which marks the promotion’s debut in Qatar and makes the country the thirty second nation to host a UFC event. The cardboard includes a lightweight major event between top contenders Arman Tsarukyan and Dan Hooker, while the co-main event showcases former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad facing Irish star Ian Machado Garry.
Confirmed UFC Qatar Fight Card
The November 22 event on the ABHA Arena features the next matchups:
Most important Card (ESPN+, 1 p.m. ET):
- Arman Tsarukyan vs. Dan Hooker – Lightweight major event
- Belal Muhammad vs. Ian Machado Garry – Welterweight co-main event
- Volkan Oezdemir vs. Alonzo Menifield – Light heavyweight
- Felipe Lima vs. Daniel Marcos – Bantamweight
- Bekzat Almakhan vs. Aleksandre Topuria – Bantamweight
Preliminary Card (ESPN+, 10 a.m. ET):
- Alex Perez vs. Asu Almabayev – Flyweight
- Serghei Spivac vs. Shamil Gaziev – Heavyweight
- Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev vs. Raffael Cerqueira – Light heavyweight
- Bogdan Grad vs. Luke Riley – Featherweight
- Ismail Naurdiev vs. Ryan Loder – Middleweight
- Tagir Ulanbekov vs. Kyoji Horiguchi – Flyweight
- Nicolas Dalby vs. Saygid Izagakhmaev – Welterweight
- Jack Hermansson vs. Myktybek Orolbai – Welterweight
- Marek Bujło vs. Denzel Freeman – Heavyweight
The event represents a big moment for Middle Eastern mixed martial arts, with Qatar becoming the third country within the region to host UFC motion following the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. UFC President Dana White expressed enthusiasm in regards to the expansion, stating, “I’ve all the time said we’ll take UFC everywhere in the world—and Qatar is the following stop”.
For Dalby and Izagakhmaev, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The Danish veteran fights to avoid wasting his UFC profession and prove he still belongs among the many welterweight elite, while the Dagestani newcomer goals to announce his arrival with an emphatic finish over a respected octagon stalwart. With Izagakhmaev’s relentless grappling pitted against Dalby’s legendary durability and striking prowess, fight fans can expect a compelling clash of styles when the octagon door closes on November 22 in Qatar.
The international stage in Qatar provides the proper backdrop for each fighters to showcase their skills before a world audience, with the welterweight division watching closely. Whether Dalby can weather the Dagestani storm or Izagakhmaev continues his mentor’s legacy with a dominant debut stays the query that shall be answered contained in the octagon.