With the UFC Qatar main card still some way off, the prelim fights are keeping fans on the edge of their seats. The standout bout of the prelims was the light heavyweight clash between debutant Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev and Rafael Cerqueira. The 24-year-old Yakhyaev wasted no time, submitting the 34-year-old Brazilian in just 33 seconds during his UFC debut.

The win now sets the record for the fastest submission at 205 lbs. Despite the lightning-fast victory, Yakhyaev’s triumph did not generate as much buzz as his opponent, Cerqueira, is already on the downward slope of his career. Since making his UFC debut in 2024, Cerqueira has yet to secure a win in the promotion.

As MMA journalist Adam Martin pointed out on X, “Raffael Cerqueira has gone 0-4 in the UFC with three first-round stoppage losses.” Still, on a brighter note, Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev extended his undefeated streak to eight fights with this win. He earned his UFC contract after successfully passing through DWCS back in August, defeating Alik Lorenz to claim his spot in the promotion.

(More to follow…)