Meet Akbar Abdullaev, the undefeated UFC prospect who welcomes welterweight champion Islam Makhachev to Kyrgyzstan

Akbar Abdullaev has welcomed UFC star Islam Makhachev to Kyrgyzstan as the undefeated fighter continues to prepare for his next chapter in the UFC. The Kyrgyz prospect recently earned a UFC contract after a stunning 19-second knockout on Dana White’s Contender Series.Abdullaev has built a perfect professional record of 14 wins and no losses. He has finished 13 of those victories by knockout or technical knockout. The 29-year-old has also competed in ONE Championship and faced several experienced fighters before making his way towards the UFC.

Akbar Abdullaev was born on September 20, 1997, in Mady, a village in Kyrgyzstan’s Osh Region. He later moved with his family to Russia, where he developed an interest in martial arts.Abdullaev trained in Muay Thai and kickboxing during his younger years. After high school, he joined college but later left his studies to serve in the army. Following his military service, he moved to Moscow.

In 2022, Abdullaev returned to Kyrgyzstan to focus fully on his MMA career. He soon became one of the country’s most promising fighters.Abdullaev turned professional in 2020. He won his first eight fights before joining ONE Championship.

His record at that stage included seven knockout wins and one submission victory.He made his ONE Championship debut against Oh Ho-taek in March 2023. Abdullaev stopped his opponent in just 44 seconds of the first round. He also earned a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.He continued his impressive run against Aaron Cañarte and Halil Amir. Both fights ended in stoppages, and Abdullaev earned another Performance of the Night bonus in each contest.In January 2025, Abdullaev faced Tang Kai. The fight was initially scheduled as a ONE Featherweight World Championship bout. However, Abdullaev missed the hydration test and weighed 156.75 pounds. The contest was therefore changed to a non-title fight.Abdullaev still produced a major statement. He stopped Tang by TKO in the fifth round.He later defeated Ibragim Dauev by third-round TKO in September 2025. His perfect record then earned him an opportunity on Dana White’s Contender Series.Abdullaev was originally scheduled to face Anthony Figueroa. Figueroa withdrew, and Ednilson Santos replaced him. Abdullaev needed only 19 seconds to finish Santos by knockout.The performance earned him a UFC contract. He now has 14 professional wins, including 13 by knockout or TKO and one by submission.

The Kyrgyz fighter is listed at 5 feet 9 inches tall and has a 70-inch reach. He has competed at featherweight and lightweight.Abdullaev is also linked with elite training environments connected to the Dagestani MMA scene. His welcome for Islam Makhachev in Kyrgyzstan has added further interest around his connection to one of the UFC’s biggest stars.For now, Abdullaev remains one of the most dangerous undefeated prospects entering the UFC. His finishing ability has already made him a fighter to watch at lightweight.