MMA
Islam Dulatov doesnt need tape on Wellington Turman: I just want to knock him out
Published
2 months agoon
Dulatov likes to keep his fights short.
Dulatov (12-1) is scheduled to take on Wellington
Turman (18-8) in his second appearance in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship since winning a contract on
Dana White's Contender Series. He returns in a welterweight
matchup at
UFC Abu Dhabi on July 25 at Etihad Arena in Yas Island.
Islam Dulatov says his UFC Abu Dhabi game plan doesn’t require
studying Wellington Turman
Dulatov isn't bothered by the fact that there isn't much footage
available on Turman. “The Ripper” is confident that he doesn't need
to see Turman's film to execute his game plan.
“Not that much footage of him,†Dulatov said in a recent interview.
“But he is the same person, he has the same chin, and he has the
same style he had before. If he learned some stuff it's good for
him. But at the end of the day, for what I want to do with him, I
don't need to see footage. I just want to knock him out.â€
Dulatov vows to look for a first-round finish over Turman like he
always does. The surging 170-pounder jokingly claimed that until he
starts getting paid by the hour, he wants to finish fights as
quickly as possible.
“First round finish is the perfect performance for me,†Dulatov
added. “I don't like to fight too much. I don't get paid by
minutes. If the UFC starts paying me for rounds, maybe I'll fight
three rounds. But right now, I think I'm good with first
round.â€
Dulatov is a former model who has walked the ramp for the likes of
Versace, Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger and Hugo Boss. He has finished all
12 of his wins, going past the first round only once since his lone
loss in his pro debut in 2019. The 27-year-old scored a first-round
knockout win over Adam Fugitt
in his UFC debut last year.
While Dulatov is based out of Germany, he recently announced that
he will be representing Turkey going forward. Meanwhile, Turman
will likely be fighting for his spot on the roster as he is 3-6 in
the UFC and currently on a three-fight slump.
“At the end of the day… I don’t need to
see footage. I just want to knock him out.”Welterweight prospect Islam
Dulatov is brimming with confidence as he targets a first-round
finish against Wellington
Turman at
#UFCAbuDhabi.@VisitAbuDhabi
| @InAbuDhabi |#InAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/EOvPfXvvvc
— UFC News (@UFCNews)
July 22, 2026
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Daniel Cormier thinks Manel Kape is serious threat to Joshua Van's UFC title run: "Manel has the power to knock him out"
Published
7 hours agoon
September 21, 2026
Zuffa LLCCould Joshua Van be in for his most dangerous challenger yet in the form of Manel Kape?
Van left no doubt that he is the true 125-pound king when he defeated Alexandre Pantoja in their UFC 331 rematch this past Saturday. Van won the championship in his first encounter with Pantoja due to an injury. He went on to have a successful title defense against Tatsuro Taira, but many felt the rematch with Pantoja was his first real test at an elite level.
Ultimately, Van shined bright and solidified his place at the top of the mountain. A dominant final round of a competitive five-round affair sealed the deal, and Van was awarded the unanimous decision victory.
A new test will emerge for Van, and the general consensus is that Kape will be become the new No. 1 contender for the flyweight gold. In a post-UFC 331 reaction video, Daniel Cormier said he thinks Kape is a credible threat to Van's title reign (h/t MMAJunkie).
“My guess is he's going to fight Manel Kape,†Cormier said. “He has been through now all the grapplers in the division, so he will not have to deal with that threat. The one area that Manel possesses that most don't is Manel has the power to knock him out. That's the difference. Manel can knock him out if he gets the opportunity.
“But in terms of a stylistic challenge, going through Taira, going through Pantoja back-to-back, he's already dealt with what most people thought would have been the biggest issue for Joshua Van, and that's the wrestling, and he passed those fights with flying colors, finishing Taira, and then tonight beating Alexandre Pantoja by unanimous decision.â€
UFC CEO Dana White had significant praise for Van following Saturday's event. He called the 125-pound titleholder the “greatest thing†to happen to the flyweight division in the modern era. Kape plans to spoil the party if he does indeed get dibs next.
Do you think Manel Kape would be Joshua Van's most dangerous challenger thus far? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
MMA
Video: All 7 UFC 331 finishes from a wild night in Los Angeles
Published
8 hours agoon
September 21, 2026
MMA
Arman Tsarukyan wants Ilia Topuria fully healed before potential grudge match: "Once I become champion, we'll talk"
Published
8 hours agoon
September 21, 2026
Zuffa LLCArman Tsarukyan believes a clash with Ilia Topuria is inevitable, but he doesn't think it should happen until “El Matador†is 100 percent ready to go.
Tsarukyan made perhaps the ultimate case for a lightweight title shot when he knocked out Mauricio Ruffy in the first round of their UFC 331 fight with an elbow. “The Batman†extended his winning streak to six, and four of those victories have been finishes. Even longtime UFC color commentator Joe Rogan believes Tsarukyan can no longer be denied a title fight against Justin Gaethje next.
Prior to Tsarukyan's win over Ruffy, UFC play-by-play ace Jon Anik said he believes there have been discussions within the UFC brass about potentially booking a title rematch between Gaethje and Topuria. In the aftermath of UFC 331, Tsarukyan told Sport24 that he'll be willing to fight Topuria, but only after he gets his hands on Gaethje and captures the 155-pound gold (via Home of Fight).
“Let Ilia see an ophthalmologist and take some time to fully recover, maybe another four or five months,†Tsarukyan said. “Once I become champion, we'll talk. I'd be happy to fight him.â€
Topuria was battered to the point where he suffered a broken orbital in his lightweight title loss against Gaethje in the UFC Freedom 250 main event back in June. “El Matador†accused Gaethje of loading his gloves, but UFC CEO Dana White has dismissed that claim.
It's hard to imagine Tsarukyan's next fight not being contested for a UFC championship, but he won't be getting one until at least 2027. Gaethje has said that both his hands haven't fully healed stemming from injuries suffered in the victory over Topuria, and he doesn't plan on fighting again for the remainder of 2026.
Do you think we'll see Arman Tsarukyan vs. Ilia Topuria at some point next year? Join in on the conversation in the comments below.
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
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