Valentina Shevchenko is many people’s pick for the greatest female martial artist of all time. She has long flown the flag for Kyrgyz MMA in the UFC. In the last couple of years, Myktybek Orolbai has also become a hot prospect in the welterweight division. He fights on August 15, and I expect him to improve his UFC record to 6-1 with a win over Jeremiah Wells. Several top prospects are already competing for their spots in the UFC. Farida Abdueva will fight in the Road to UFC semi-finals later this month in her quest to become the next female Kyrgyz star. Meanwhile, Ilimbek Akylbek Uulu won his first fight in The Ultimate Fighter season 34, and we’ll see his semi-final broadcast soon.
After reviewing the top prospects from Uzbekistan a couple of weeks ago, it’s now time to move east and review the talent coming out of Kyrgyzstan. This is a country that loves fighting, as regional events with Kyrgyz fighters are extremely well-supported with vocal crowds cheering their fighters on. We’ve already seen the success that fighters like Shevchenko can have, so who will be the next superstar?
This list follows the rules for our top-25 global prospects, so you won’t see Rizin wrecking ball Razhabali Shaydullaev (18-0). He would clearly be #1 if he were eligible and is one of the best fighters outside the UFC regardless of nationality. Similarly, we recently posted a full breakdown of Akbar Abdullaev (13-0), who is already a high-profile name following a dominant career in ONE. He is rumored to be on DWCS later this year and would also be top of this list if included.
1. Yryskeldi Duysheev (Feather/Bantamweight, 13-0, 24 years old)
We’re big Duysheev fans here at Prospect Vault and have been pushing his name as an elite fighter since the site started. I had him #4 on my list of 10 bantamweights the UFC should sign this year, and Shawn Bitter listed him as the best Kyrgyz prospect to start this year. He’s currently #9 in our top-25 prospects worldwide and would step comfortably into top-level UFC matchups tomorrow.
Duysheev hasn’t fought since I last wrote about him, so check that out for a more detailed breakdown. His talent, resume, and potential remain impressive. He is destructive with his hands, using hooks and overhands to enter range. That can be enough to knock people out, but it’s really just a set-up for wrestling. Once Duysheev gets a hold of opponents, they’re going for a violent ride. He’s nasty with GnP and wants to make his foe suffer when he’s on top. That pressure and aggression are beautifully paired with a fluid BJJ style that is comfortable in scrambles and allows Duysheev to snatch submissions from anywhere. While his last two wins have been the only decisions of his career, it wasn’t because he didn’t try to finish the fight. His opponents managed to survive, but Duysheev was still his usual dominant self.
There were rumors that Duysheev was heading to DWCS this year but missed out due to visa issues. Hopefully he gets that sorted out, as he’s still young so it would be a shame to waste time. With how good he’s already proven to be, thinking about an improved Duysheev is exciting for fans and scary for UFC bantamweights.
2. Daniiar Toichubek uulu (Bantamweight, 12-0, 24 years old)
Toichubek is another prospect just entering the best years of his fighting career with an already-elite resume. He’s my #9 prospect anywhere in the world regardless of weight or nationality and has previously featured in our top-25 prospects overall. Shawn had him as the #7 flyweight the UFC should sign this year, though he’s since seemed to settle at 135 pounds as his permanent weight class.
At 5’9”, Toichubek certainly has the frame for bantamweight. He prefers to strike and uses his range and fast hands well to box-up opponents. He’ll throw in combinations and vary up his angles and timing to consistently land effective shots. The volume is high, and he relies on that to drown his opponents rather than a single fight-ending shot. This can leave him open to counters, but so far his chin has been strong, and his output is so high that opponents don’t have space to settle in and work.
Coming up in the absolute grinder that is Russian promotion ACA, Toichubek’s defensive wrestling was constantly tested. His sprawls are good, and he’s repeatedly proven to be an active scrambler who quickly escapes bad positions if his first-line TDD fails. Toichubek can also have a lot of success initiating grappling exchanges. He can score takedowns in space driving on double-legs, snatching single legs and finishing at the fence, or by manipulating opponents to the ground from body locks. His aggressive striking style continues on the mat, and while this can lead to him losing positions, he’s so comfortable in scrambles that it’s hardly a problem.
Equally important to having a well-rounded skillset is knowing when to use it. Toichubek has shown great decision-making in when to strike, when to defend, and when to wrestle offensively. He has a deep gas tank to sustain pressure throughout the fight and will turn things up several more notches when he senses his foe is struggling.
Toichubek makes his USA debut in September in an LFA co-main event against Shuya Kamikubo (16-3-1). This will be a test of Toichubek’s submission defense, and I can’t wait to see these guys exchange on the mat. If he scores another impressive win, a UFC call-up can’t be far off.
3. Bektur Zhenishbek Uulu (Fly/Bantamweight, 5-0, 26 years old)
While he’s by far the least experienced on this list on paper, don’t let that fool you. Zhenishbek was a dominant amateur, going 15-1 over more than 5 years. During that time, he won numerous tournaments in Russia and took home the 2021 world title the only time he competed in IMMAF. His only loss came to another elite prospect, Muhammad Salohidinov, back when both were teenagers, so we’ll let him off the hook there.
Zhenishbek’s fighting base is wrestling, and you’ll see him try to implement that style in every fight. At just 5’4”, he’s almost always giving up reach on the feet but is very fast with good footwork to safely close the distance. From there, he imposes his will with incredible strength in his takedowns, fluidity in transitions, and strong grips. Zhenishbek doesn’t always take many risks to hunt finishes, and that is something he could improve upon. His striking isn’t entirely an afterthought as he’s shown clear progression in his technique and comfort level on the feet when you compare recent tape to his amateur days. However, it’s clear he knows what his best path to success is in MMA and he’s going to follow that until someone stops him.
His pro career has followed an unusual path so far. After debuting in December 2023 and picking up two submissions against inexperienced fighters, Zhenishbek took a massive step up by signing for ONE against Avazbek Kholmirzaev (9-1). In that fight, he used his wrestling to neutralize his opponent’s dynamic striking and grind his way to a decision win. It wasn’t always pretty, but Kholmirzaev has won eight straight fights since then and recently became ONE’s champion. That really puts the level of Zhenishbek’s wrestling into context, as plenty of other fighters have tried to implement a similar style but none have done so successfully since. I thought he might become ONE’s next Central Asian star, but instead he returned to Russia. Zhenishbek picked up two wins in 2025 but had been inactive since that May, so I debated including him here.
However, it was recently announced that he’ll make his short-notice LFA debut on August 21. He’s jumping straight into the deep end against Marcos Breno (15-4). Skill for skill, I think Zhenishbek can control Breno and likely win a decision, but I do worry about the size in this fight. He’s stepping up to 135 pounds for the first time and was never a particularly big flyweight, so there’s a chance that he’s just outmuscled. If that happens, it will be great to see Zhenishbek forced to use more of his striking so we can get a clearer read on his full skillset. A win here will establish him in the US and would bring his winning streak to 19, including amateur fights. That sort of success is hard to ignore, so this is a huge opportunity for Zhenishbek to prove he can be great.
4. Ruslan Amuev (Bantamweight, 11-0, 25 years old)
Amuev has made the rounds in his career, fighting in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Georgia, Iraq, China, and most recently South Korea. He’s found success everywhere he goes and impressed me enough to earn an honorable mention in my top BWs for 2026. None of these fights have come for top-level organizations, but he’s fought quality competition (61-24-1 combined record). He’s a great athlete with a blend of explosiveness, flexibility, and cardio that projects well to the next level.
Amuev is a wrestler-first and will often shoot in the opening seconds of rounds. His double-legs are very powerful and will sometimes run straight over people. Missing takedowns from being too far away or predictable isn’t a problem because Amuev is excellent at chaining together techniques and improving his position with even a small bit of attachment. He’ll also grind opponents on the fence while finding opportunities to trip them and ride the back.
Amuev’s top control is excellent when he can put his opponent’s back on the mat. He grabs wrists, crushes legs, and drives down his shoulders to keep dominant positions. Subs aren’t a big concern as he’s aware and able to scramble quickly at any signs of danger. His power on top sometimes translates into effective GnP, but I would like to see him fully posture up and rain down strikes more often, especially once he’s already proved that he can take his opposition down easily.
Amuev’s striking is a definite weakness, with looping punches from both sides leaving him open for counters, especially down the center line. He’s been able to attach himself fast enough to avoid getting seriously hurt so far but needs more head movement and feints to succeed at the next level. I’d also like to see him develop more of a kicking game so that he has more options on the outside besides overhands and long-range takedown attempts.
Only hardcore fans currently know Amuev and his style won’t have the UFC matchmakers beating down his door. He’s currently scheduled for a 3rd fight with Korean promotion Black Combat against the veteran Marcelo Guarilha (23-11-1). That should be an easy win for Amuev, and if he continues on this trajectory I could see him getting a showcase fight on Road to UFC at some point. If not, Rizin or PFL would do well to pick him up as a future contender.
5. Ruslan Kasymaly uulu (Bantamweight, 11-0, 24 years old)
Another young undefeated bantamweight makes me wonder where they’re hiding the assembly line in Kyrgyzstan. Kasymaly is the only one on this list still based in Central Asia, where he’s twice defended the 135-pound title for top Kazakh promotion Octagon. That means he’s slightly less proven than the prospects above him, but there’s still a lot to work with.
Early in his career, Kasymaly was a relatively one-dimensional wrestler. He’d use his advantages in wrestling entries, physical strength, and cardio to drown opponents who rarely could shake him off. A few finishes came when he had the opportunity, but it was clear control was the priority. His title defenses were both 25-minute decision wins, but it’s clear that Kasymaly has made significant advances in his overall MMA game.
After being an afterthought early in his career, his boxing is crisp and built around an effective jab. He doesn’t throw many kicks, but the ones he does are fast and usually accurate. Kasymaly blends strikes together effectively and can work going forward or on the counter. This was most evident in his last fight against Baymen Nurzhigit (7-0-2), who was forced to shoot takedowns after Kasymaly picked him apart on the feet and showed good head movement, dodging wider strikes from his opponent.
Position over submission is the clear basis of Kasymaly’s grappling plan. He’ll threaten front chokes, though that can put him in bad positions on his back. A RNC early in his career is his only submission win and came against a weak opponent. He’s much more comfortable riding a single leg hook and scoring with punches. Kasymaly has improved his recognition of opportunities to do damage in transitions and has the cardio to maintain consistent output on the ground and standing for the full 25 minutes.
A scheduled fight in Russia earlier this year was cancelled, but it’s good to see Kasymaly looking to take the next step. He’s clearly a level above the best competition he can find in Octagon and would make sense as a signing for ACA.
Honorable mentions:
- Busurman Zhumagul (Welterweight, 5-0, 22 years old): Some of my colleagues are very high on Zhumagul, and it’s easy to see why. He’s got a crazy frame for 170 pounds at 6’4” with long limbs that he uses effectively both striking with jabs, kicks, and knees and grappling with nasty front chokes. He’s super young and has spent his whole career receiving top-level coaching in the USA.After a 4-0 amateur stint, he’s gone 5-0 for CFFC as a pro, punctuated by winning their title in February. That came against Daniel Morrison (7-2), by far his best opponent to date. That fight went to R2, though an anaconda choke saw Zhumagul take the belt early that round. All his previous pro fights ended in R1, and the level of competition is the only reason he’s not higher up this list. His potential is sky-high and I would be surprised if he’s not on DWCS in 2027 after a successful title defense.
- Marsel Nurlanbek uulu (Lightweight, 15-0?, 29 years old): Nurlanbek deserves a mention for his ridiculous, albeit padded, record. Sites don’t agree on his exact history, as Tapology has him 15-0 but with additional wins in bare-knuckle and modified-rules MMA. Sherdog, on the other hand, has him at 12-1 with a loss that Tapology considers an amateur bout and many wins listed as amateur contests.In terms of MMA, Nurlanbek is a bit of a one-trick pony. He’s short and compact with muscle and wants to do anything possible to get on the ground and hunt submissions. Early in his career, it was chokes of outmatched opponents, but in recent years he’s fallen in love with a vicious rolling kneebar. However, his competition has remained weak this whole time, so it’s hard to evaluate if he’s really progressed as a fighter. He’s taken some boxing fights, which is a good sign that he cares about striking to some degree, but that has also been against weak opposition so far. Nurlanbek fights again this week, taking on Nursultan Ospan (4-1) for Octagon in what should be another mismatch.
- Zhasurbek Sobirov (Featherweight, 10-0, 28 years old): Yet another undefeated fighter in the lighter weight classes, Sobirov spent most of his career at bantamweight before moving up in his last fight for a decision win over former Road to UFC contestant Regezhen (11-2). He’s a pressure fighter who is comfortable wrestling but prefers to work on the feet. His aggression is well-measured, as Sobirov takes the time to test different weapons and ranges before settling into a rhythm to accumulate damage. When he senses an opening, he’s able to rapidly turn up the heat and hunt a KO, but if it’s not there, he’s well-positioned to be ahead on the scorecards. Sobirov has settled in China after starting his career in Russia, so we likely won’t see him in American promotions soon.
