Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev Stops Nikita Krylov in Round 1 at UFC 333
Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev remained undefeated with a first-round TKO of Nikita Krylov on the preliminary card of UFC 333 on Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The light heavyweight finished the veteran at 2:38 of the opening round with punches after a scramble.
Yakhyaev entered the bout with a perfect 10-0 professional record and a 3-0 mark in the UFC. Krylov arrived at 31-12 overall and 12-10 inside the promotion, ranked near the bottom of the light heavyweight division. The 25-year-old prospect was a heavy favorite against the experienced Ukrainian.
The fight opened with Krylov closing distance and pressing Yakhyaev against the cage. Yakhyaev defended the takedown attempt, landed short elbows, and secured a throw. He locked in a guillotine choke that Krylov escaped, then followed with a knee and ground-and-pound that forced the referee to stop the contest. UFC’s official account highlighted another first-round finish for the undefeated fighter.
The result improves Yakhyaev to 11-0 overall and 4-0 in the UFC. It is his fourth consecutive first-round finish inside the promotion after he knocked out Julius Walker in eight seconds in June. Krylov drops to 31-13 and 12-11 in the UFC, adding another stoppage loss to a recent stretch that includes a defeat to Robert Whittaker.
Yakhyaev, who fights out of Turkey and carries the nickname “The Hunter,” has finished every UFC opponent in the first round. His regional and Contender Series record features a high rate of early knockouts and submissions. Krylov, a longtime light heavyweight known for both striking and grappling, has served as a measuring stick for rising prospects throughout his career.
The stoppage came after Yakhyaev defended Krylov’s early pressure and capitalized once the fight hit the mat. The guillotine attempt and subsequent ground strikes showed the finishing threat that has defined Yakhyaev’s brief UFC tenure. Krylov’s recent durability questions continued against a younger, faster opponent.
Yakhyaev’s ranking will likely rise after the win over a ranked veteran. He continues to build a case as a prospect the light heavyweight division must address. Krylov faces another setback after consecutive stoppage losses and will look to regroup when the UFC books his next fight.
The preliminary card continues in Abu Dhabi with additional ranked matchups still ahead. Yakhyaev’s TKO is the latest early finish on a night headlined by title fights involving Alexander Volkanovski and Movsar Evloev.
