Khabib Nurmagomedov has set a high standard for his countrymen, having captured the undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight title with a fourth-round submission of Conor McGregor at UFC 229 on Oct. 6. The undefeated 30-year-old owns a perfect 27-0 record and has since flirted with hypothetical matchups against Georges St. Pierre and Floyd Mayweather. What comes next for Nurmagomedov remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, Russia continues to churn out top-shelf mixed martial arts talent. It begs the question: Who’s Next? Below are eight up-and-coming fighters who could follow in Nurmagomedov’s footsteps.