Highlights! Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev delivers incredible 33-second debut submission | UFC Qatar

Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev delivered an incredible Octagon debut earlier today (Sat., Nov. 22, 2025) at UFC Qatar LIVE on ESPN+ from inside ABHA Arena in Doha, Qatar, as the Contender Series standout laid

waste to struggling Light Heavyweight, Raffael Cerquiera, with a 33-second submission (rear-naked choke).

Yakhyaev — who was coming off a 30-second technical knockout finish on Dana White’s Contender Series to earn a UFC contract — entered Saturday as one of the biggest betting favorites on the card. Most were expecting to see Yakhyaev dominate, but maybe not as quickly as he did.

In just a matter of 33 seconds, Yakhyaev was able to score a slick takedown along the cage, take the back, and sink in the rear-naked choke, leaving little left to the imagination. It’s a performance that will likely earn Yakhyaev a $50,000 post-fight bonus and create even more buzz for the undefeated 24-year-old prospect heading into 2026.

Checkout the video highlights below:

LIVE! Watch UFC Qatar On ESPN+ Here!

MIDDLE EAST MAYHEM! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to action on Sat., Nov. 22, 2025, with an exciting main event set to headline UFC Qatar inside ABHA Arena in Doha. In the ESPN+-streamed main event, Lightweight contenders Arman Tsarukyan vs. Dan Hooker clash in a high-stakes, five-round bout. The co-main event features a Welterweight showdown between Belal Muhammad vs. Ian Machado Garry, with future 170-pound title shot implications on the line. The card will also showcase a Light Heavyweight showdown pitting Volkan Oezdemir vs. Alonzo Menifield, a Heavyweight collision featuring Serghei Spivac vs. Shamil Gaziev, and much more! The start time is scheduled for 10 a.m. ET (“Prelims” undercard) and 1 p.m. ET (main card).

Don’t miss a single second of face punching action!

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• Check price at STREAM UFC Qatar

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