The UFC is currently undergoing a significant roster overhaul, releasing underperforming fighters, including prominent Russian names, to make room for fresh talent. Despite this, the promotion’s interest in the region remains high, proven by the recent signing of Abubakar Vagaev, Khamzat Chimaev’s training partner.

An MMA page on X reported the news, further highlighting the arrival of the ACA welterweight champion into the UFC.

“Abubakar Vagaev (24-4) has officially signed with the UFC,” the post read. “Arriving as the ACA welterweight champion, and this opens the door for other top fighters from the Russian promotion to potentially join the UFC.”

Even before Vagaev signed his official UFC contract this week, UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev had already welcomed his teammate to the promotion on March 15. In an Instagram post, ‘Borz’ tagged Vagaev with the caption, “Welcome to the UFC.”

Interestingly, it’s not just the UFC that has recently welcomed an ACA star. The Absolute Championship Akhmat (ACA) also added former UFC star and legend Kamaru Usman’s heavyweight brother, Mohammed Usman, to its roster after the UFC released him for testing positive for PEDs.

Now, coming to Vagaev, the ACA CEO also confirmed that the UFC is officially his new home. Hailing from Russia’s Grozny region, Vagaev built a solid reputation by competing for most of his career in two major promotions, WFCA and ACA (formerly ACB).

However, 19 of his 24 wins have come via decision, which adds some complexity. As many know, the UFC currently favors keeping the fighters with good finish rates in the Paramount era.

Recently, the UFC released talented athletes like Rinat Fakhretdinov and Javid Basharat. Consequently, this raises questions about how quickly Vagaev can climb the ranks. Still, fans can remain hopeful about his potential in the promotion.

Regarding his recent fights, Abubakar Vagaev is on a three-fight win streak, including a recent unanimous decision victory over Albert Tumenov. This fight was also the final of the ACA’s Welterweight Grand Prix, making him a double champion, which further underscores his credentials as he steps into the UFC.

However, he does not stand alone as an active teammate of Khamzat Chimaev in the promotion, as another teammate will return to the Octagon alongside Chimaev at UFC 328.

One of Khamzat Chimaev’s teammates joins the UFC 328 card

It has been nearly nine months since UFC fans last saw Khamzat Chimaev in action inside the Octagon. However, fans need not worry, as the Russian star will defend his title for the first time at UFC 328 in just a few weeks, where he will face his teammate turned rival, Sean Strickland. Naturally, much of the hype around this fight comes from the heated animosity between the two middleweights.

On top of that, UFC fans will see Khamzat Chimaev’s undefeated teammate, Baisangur Susurkaev, enter the Octagon on the undercard. The 6’2″ middleweight will face Djorden Santos on May 9. From his very first fight in the UFC, the former ACA star has turned heads by scoring back-to-back stoppage wins, which really sets him apart from Abubakar Vagaev.

Interestingly, Susurkaev earned his UFC contract after graduating from DWCS last August. Since then, he has delivered two impressive appearances in the Octagon, going 2-0 under Dana White & Co.

With his undefeated record, many consider Susurkaev even more talented than Khamzat Chimaev, a view that ‘Borz’ himself acknowledges, seeing Susurkaev as a future UFC champion.

So now, with Khamzat Chimaev’s teammate hitting the UFC scene, who do you think is the most skilled fighter? Drop your take below.