There are very few Russian fighters who fight out of the United States, and Azamat Murzakanov is one of those fighters. The light heavyweight contender has been making a steady rise with an undefeated record, and he extended his unbeaten run at UFC 321 after knocking out Aleksandar Rakić in the very first round. That win prompted a message from one of Russia’s biggest stars, Islam Makhachev.

Azamat Murzakanov, ‘The Professional’, as he’s known, really took the fight to Aleksandar Rakić, but it was his opponent who was landing more shots than him in the beginning. The Serbian fighter landed more significant shots than the Russian star, but it took Murzakanov only 3 minutes and 11 seconds to seal the deal with a knockout victory.

Islam Makhachev has his own preparation to do, and he’s putting in the work in the gym ahead of his fight against Jack Della Maddalena. He’s fighting to win a second belt, which has been something he’s dreamed of doing. But that does not mean he isn’t watching the other fights. As Makhachev tuned into UFC 321, it was Azamat Murzakanov’s performance that impressed him the most, as the former lightweight champion wrote, “[Azamat Murzakanov is the] real deal. Congrats brother,” on X.

Azamat Murzakanov is ranked seventh in the light heavyweight rankings at the moment, but this win will surely help him climb up the ranks. Meanwhile, the Russian fighter made sure to let people know that he’s not someone to undermine, and his knockout win was a reminder of that fact. Here’s what he had to say.

With Azamat Muzakanov getting Islam Makhachev’s approval, he made his intentions clear

Azamat Murzakanov may not be a much-talked-about fighter, given that top names like Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka mostly dominated the 205lbs division. But he has warned his fellow light heavyweight contenders not to look past him, and the Aleksandar Rakić knockout was a statement. Murzakanov did what he set out to do in the UAE and is determined to fight for the title really soon.

“You all doubted me. I told you. I told you not to doubt me,” Azamat Murzakanov said during the post-fight Octagon interview with Daniel Cormier. As he revealed his plans for the fight, the Russian fighter also expressed his gratitude to Dana White and Co. for allowing him to fight on the UFC 321 card. “Yes, I planned to finish him. And yes, I’m happy that I did that. I’m very thankful to everybody here… to the promotion, to the UFC for giving me this chance… I’m going to be fighting for the title,” he added.

Well, the light heavyweight title scene is currently occupied with more than just one credible contender. It could take some time before ‘The Professional’ gets his chance at the belt. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what he does next and if Dana White gives him the opportunities that will help him get closer to the title. Regardless, what do you make of Islam Makhachev’s message to Azamat Murzakanov? Drop your comments below.