Dana White: Akbar Abdullaev 'possibly the greatest talent' on DWCS - MMA Junkie

Sports By USA Today • September 18, 2026, 2:06 PM UTC

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Dana White heaped praise on newly signed UFC lightweight Akbar Abdullaev.

Abdullaev (14-0) earned a contract on Dana White's Contender Series 92 when he knocked out Alex Pereira teammate Ednilson Santos in just 19 seconds at Meta APEX in Las Vegas.

When announcing the signings for Tuesday night, White made a bold claim about the Kyrgyzstani fighter.

"I don't even know what to say to you," White said after DWCS 92. "That punch sounded like a baseball bat. I'm going to go out on a limb here, and I'm going to call you possibly the greatest talent that's ever been on this show in 10 years. I think that you're going to be a huge superstar and a very big threat in this sport. I can't wait to see you fight again. Welcome to the UFC."

Abdullaev is ready for the deep end after going 5-0 in ONE Championship. He scored a dominant finish of ONE champion Kai Tang in January 2025, but wasn't eligible to win the belt after missing weight by one pound. The 28-year-old expressed interest in fighting Max Holloway during his post-fight news conference.

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https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/story/sports/ufc/2026/09/18/dana-white-akbar-abdullaev-might-be-greatest-talent-in-dwcs-history/91791594007/

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