Introduction
Friday, April 26th, Russian bantamweight prospect Khuseyn Shaykaev will be in action for LFA, where he will be looking continue his undefeated ways against Michel Silva. He will be looking for another win, as Shaykaev looks to inch closer to a contract with the UFC. He represents Berkut FC, a solid camp in MMA. Let’s take a closer look at this prospect as this week’s “Prospect Spotlight.”
Strengths
Submission Wrestling: When it comes to aggressive pursuit of the takedown and constant activity from top, Shaykaev fits that description to a T. He is an explosive, aggressive takedown artist that looks to get the fight down early. Once he does, he is an absolute terror from top position. He has a couple wins by striking, but five of his 12 wins come by way of submission. That includes a highlight reel Suloev Stretch back in 2019, as well as wins by rear-naked choke (3) and triangle choke (1). This guy is a leech once he gets to the ground.
Strength of Schedule: Since turning pro in 2016 when he was 18 years old, Shaykaev has not taken many easy fights. His opponents combined record is 117-48, which is very good for a 12-fight veteran. His most recent fight was a win over Pavel Vitruk, which is likely his biggest win to date. Some prospects are not tested before they get to the spotlight, but Shaykaev definitely is battle-tested.
Needs Improvement
Extended Striking Exchanges: One thing that we have not seen a ton of is Shaykaev striking for an extended period of time. He has good basics and fundamentals, but he’s yet to be tested hard by a guy who is a good striker with good takedown defense to boot. Once we’re able to see a little more of that, it could answer questions about Shaykaev’s overall ability on the feet.
Inactivity: We have not seen Shaykaev compete in a while. In fact, he has not been in an MMA cage since November of 2021. That may have hurt his momentum being out so long. Or, he has been in the gym constantly making improvements to his game. Either way, being outside of competition for a while has been known to leave some ring rust.
Outlook
UFC Top-30: Despite the inactivity, Shaykhaev is just 26 years old, so he’s still at a good place in his career age-wise. Given his experience at this age and the face he has proven he can beat notable opponents, especially in a tough regional circuit like Russia, shows that he is ready for the major league level. That may be easier now that he’s fighting for LFA, a promotion that is basically a feeder for the UFC. Once he gets to the UFC, he could be a real problem.
MMA Intel 