Fighter to Watch at UFC Vegas 46: Saidyokub Kakhramonov
Bantamweight prospect looks to follow up his short-notice submission win with a victory over veteran Brian "Boom" Kelleher early on Saturday's fight card
Name: Saidyokub Kakhramonov
Nickname: N/A
Record: 9-2 overall, 1-0 UFC
Division: Bantamweight
Team: Team Oyama
Opponent: Brian Kelleher (23-12 overall, 7-5 UFC)
It’s often quite difficult for a newcomer that makes only one appearance in the Octagon to stand out over the course of a full UFC campaign, and it was increasingly challenging last year when the class of new arrivals was a deep, talented, and impressive as ever before.
For every Paddy Pimblett that arrives with a ton of hype or Terrance McKinney that creates it instantly with a dynamic effort in their debut, there are numerous rookies that register strong performances and good wins that continue to fly under the radar.
Saidyokub Kakhramonov is one of those fighters who fell through the cracks.
The 26-year-old bantamweight fielded the call to step in and face Trevin Jones towards the end of August when he was visiting family at home in his native Uzbekistan at the outset of Fight Week. He accepted the assignment, jumped on a flight, and touched down in Las Vegas with only enough time to do his promotional photo session and push through the final stages of a weight cut. While he missed the 135-pound mark, no one was particularly salty about the miss given the circumstances, and when he stepped into the Octagon the following afternoon, Kakhramonov made the most of his short-notice opportunity.
After jumping on an arm-in guillotine attempt right out of the chute, the newcomer spent the next four minutes battling along the fence with Jones, trapped in the kind of gruelling to-and-fro that drains your energy reserves at an accelerated pace even though it doesn’t look particularly taxing on TV. The second was a tale of two halves, with Kakhramonov attacking on the feet and lighting Jones up for the opening three minutes, only for the native of Guam to finally secure a takedown and control the action on the canvas over the closing two minutes.
Late in the third, with the fight hanging in the balance, Kakhramonov worked off the fence, stung Jones with a right hand and attacked a modified guillotine choke when “5 Star” pressed forward looking to grab a leg and avoid further damage. Jones looked to defend, but Kakhramonov switched his grip, shifting to a ninja choke, putting the veteran to sleep.
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Check out the entire Fighters to Watch 2022 series:
Strawweights
Flyweights
Bantamweights
Featherweights
Lightweights
Welterweights
Middleweight
Light Heavyweights & Heavyweights
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Watching the fight back and taking the time to ponder the dynamics of the matchup and everything it entailed, this was really a tremendous performance for Kakhramonov, who looks to earn a second straight UFC triumph while taking another step forward when he takes on Kelleher on Saturday.
While he’d beaten Bellator vet Jerrell Hodge and handed Askar Askar his first career loss, the Team Oyama representative wasn’t someone that stood out as a considerable prospect when he was tapped to face Jones in August. He suffered his first career loss in a clash of unbeaten hopefuls opposite Umar Nurmagomedov under the PFL banner in three years prior, and was finished in the third round by Pipe Vargas, who entered off a loss to UFC fighter Danny Chavez and dropped his next two outings.
Yet he made the lengthy journey from Uzbekistan to Las Vegas, showed flashes of upside throughout the contest, and snatched up a victory when the outcome of the contest was undetermined, finishing someone that had earned stoppages in each of his first two appearances inside the Octagon and boasted a considerable edge in experience.
Which is why Kakhramonov is the first Fighter to Watch of 2022.
This weekend, he’s finally back, making the trek to the Octagon for the second time with a full camp behind him and the change to make an even greater impression against a fan and media favorite in Kelleher, who enters off a victory over Domingo Pilarte on the same August 21 fight card. The 35-year-old Long Island native is a dangerous veteran who has traditionally feasted on less experienced opposition, posting victories over DWCS alums Ode’ Osbourne and Hunter Azure, as well as Texan Ray Rodriguez, but also someone that has struggled against the best competition he’s faced, making him a perfect dance partner and this a quality measuring stick matchup to help gauge where Kakhramonov fits in the incredibly deep and talented 135-pound weight class.
While a victory isn’t going to vault him into the rankings or anything — and may not even elevate him to the top group of emerging fighters in the division — it will force more people to sit up and take notice of his efforts, which is never a bad way to kick off your year inside the Octagon.
Fighting on the first card of 2022 provides the potential for Kakhramonov to compete at least three times over the next 12 months, if not more, provided he stays healthy, and we’ve seen several fighters in the past go from making a little noise in a truncated first year on the roster to making waves in Year Two.
This is a truly intriguing matchup and outstanding pairing in terms of getting a further read on what kind of prospect Kakhramonov is, where he stands in the division at the moment, and what the next 12-18 months could look like for him going forward.
Make sure to tune in so that you don’t miss the potential coming out party for one of last year’s unheralded impressive new arrivals.