Aliaskhab Khizriev Record: 12-0-0

Building the unbeaten run

The most eye-catching win of Khizriev's pre-UFC career came in March 2018, when he stopped the dangerous Brazilian submission specialist Rousimar Palhares with first-round ground-and-pound at Fight Nights Global 85 – a statement result against a former world-title-level grappler that signaled Khizriev was ready for bigger stages. He carried that momentum onto the Contender Series in September 2020, submitting Henrique Shiguemoto with a first-round rear-naked choke to secure his UFC contract.

UFC career

Khizriev made his Octagon debut in March 2022 and looked the part, submitting Denis Tiuliulin with a second-round rear-naked choke to push his unbeaten record to 12-0. His follow-up in February 2024 against Makhmud Muradov ended in a first-round no contest, a frustrating non-result that kept his perfect record intact but stalled his momentum. Injuries and layoffs have slowed his ascent, but on paper Khizriev remains one of the division's untapped, undefeated prospects, with the wrestling-heavy template that has served Dagestani fighters so well at the elite level.

Fighting style

Khizriev is a wrestler-grappler in the classic Dagestani mold. His finishing breakdown – five knockouts, four submissions and three decisions across his 12 wins, a 75% finish rate among them – reflects a fighter who can hurt opponents on the feet but does his best work on the mat. He is an adept chain-wrestler, particularly with his single-leg, and uses a heavy, patient top game to grind through opponents' guards before transitioning to ground-and-pound or the rear-naked choke that has produced several of his submissions. The chief question mark is not skill but activity – long stretches of inactivity and the no contest have limited how much the UFC has been able to test his ceiling.

Career highlights

• Undefeated through 12 fights — has never lost as a professional, finishing the majority of his opponents while building one of the cleaner unbeaten records in the middleweight division.
• Statement win over a grappling great — stopped former title-level submission ace Rousimar Palhares by first-round ground-and-pound to announce himself.
• Contender Series finish — submitted Henrique Shiguemoto with a first-round rear-naked choke to earn his UFC contract.