Dares UAE Warriors has arguably been the best regional promotion in the world as of late. With elite fighters likes Asaf Chopurov and Pavel Andrusca recently graduating from the promotion to sign with the UFC, Warriors has served as a pivotal final step and proving ground for some of the best prospects in the world. This event, taking place October 22nd in Abu Dhabi, is no different. It showcases multiple top 50 prospects, and is a must watch for those looking to get a glimpse at some of the best fighters before they inevitably hit the big time.
Ata Atdayev (7-0, Flyweight)
After losing his third amateur fight, the Turkmenistani flyweight has reeled off 15 straight wins across amateur and pro. In the amateurs, he knocked out elite prospects Israel Galvan and Ruslan Satiev. After a long layoff that kept Atdayev from fighting between 2021 and 2026, he returned and looked as good as ever. His return fight was against Dzhafar Nuraliev, and he made it look easy with a second-round rear-naked choke.
Atdayev has sufficient talent on the feet. His leg kicks stop opponents in their tracks, and his footwork is elite. He moves in and out of the pocket well. He lands and then retreats before his opponents know what hit them. His combos include a lot of hooks and can overwhelm opponents, giving him openings to initiate grappling. As polished as he is on his feet, his grappling is another level. He is smothering, and his strength and grip are elite for the division. He floats through scrambles on the ground, always ending up on top or taking the back. His heavy hands create openings for his lightning-quick Jiu-Jitsu. His opponent this Thursday has an inflated 7-1 record. I expect Atdayev to steamroll him and choke him out; it should be a highlight for the talented flyweight.
Flobater Fares (4-0, Flyweight)
Fares, one of the best Irish prospects today, is another IMMAF veteran who boasted double-digit wins as an amateur. Since turning pro, “FouFou” has gone unbeaten against opponents with a combined 14-2 record, making it look easy against legitimate competition. The 5-foot-9 flyweight from Cork City SBG has a tremendous frame for the division, giving him an edge over most opponents. At 23 years old, his ceiling is as high as anyone’s on the card.
Fares mixes it up well on the feet. He isn’t a head hunter; instead, he uses stiff front kicks and straight rights to pepper the body. He uses his size well, staying at range and throwing jabs and high kicks. Fares does have a tendency to leave his hands low sometimes, and some faster and more explosive opponents may take advantage of that. His spinning wheel kicks to the body and head find home more often than not. Fares has fast hands, with a lethal one-two combo. His power isn’t one-shot level, but his precise shots add up and can make his opponents quit.
While he had numerous submissions as an amateur, he hasn’t displayed that as a pro. His submission grappling can be fast, with his long limbs giving him an advantage. His wrestling defense is good, helped by his athleticism and balance, but not great. He also backs off in a straight line on the feet, showing that there are holes in his game defensively. Someone may exploit those holes one day, but not this Thursday. Fares has a favorable matchup that should see him rack up his second straight finish on the feet.
Ayissi Bessala (3-0, Middleweight)
Bessala is unbeaten in his career, with all fights coming under the UAE Warriors banner. While he is a power puncher, Bessala definitely doesn’t fit the profile of what you think of when you think Cameroonian middleweight. At six feet, he isn’t massive for the division. He has a background in Sambo and wrestling. Bessala is more methodical than frantic. He was supposed to get the opportunity to prove he is for real by taking on the 7-2 Diego Bandu, who would’ve been his best opponent to date. Instead, he takes on late replacement Bashir Mustafaev, who should do a good job at being Bessala’s next victim.
Bessala is plodding and patient on the feet, taking the time to work behind his jab. When he does manage to close the distance, he has combos that unleash hooks to the head and body. While his shots from range are strictly to the dome, it’s good that he mixes up the level when in close. He doesn’t involve the legs even a little bit in his game, and it would serve him well to at least add in some leg kicks and knees. His hands have been a great weapon though, fast, powerful, and capable of ending fights at any moment.
While he hasn’t attempted any offensive grappling yet, his takedown defense has been solid through three bouts. He fights the hands well, and the one time he was taken down, he just muscled himself back to his feet. Bessala should, in theory, have the advantage everywhere in the fight on Thursday.
Rashid Vagabov (15-2, Flyweight)
Currently ranked as my 28th-best prospect overall, Vagabov is a fighter who’s long been ready to compete in the big leagues. The 15-2 Vagabov got that opportunity in 2025, fighting on Dana White’s Contender Series, but the boss wasn’t impressed with his dominant decision victory. A disciple of first Adbulmanap, and now Khabib Nurmagomedov, his pedigree should be enough to get him another shot if he can finish his fight Thursday against Marciano Ferreira.
Nicknamed “Rambo”, Vagabov can kind of do it all in the cage. His striking is basic but fast. He was able to finish people via strikes earlier in his career, but hasn’t displayed the same danger against higher-level opponents. Either way, his striking just sets up his wrestling game. He gets in on a single or double leg with elite quickness, and always brings his opponents down with authority. Once he has his hands locked, they’re going for a ride. His relentlessness and gas tank make him a difficult problem to solve. His Jiu-Jitsu is good, though he tends to prioritize position over submission. As one would expect given his tutelage, his squeeze is insane and there’s no getting out of his chokes.
Vagabov’s last two fights have been won by decision, and if he wants to get another shot at the UFC, he will likely have to get a finish here. At 28 years old, there’s still time for him to add more danger to his smothering grappling attack.
Sundet Aytkul (13-2, Featherweight)
27 years old and from Kazakhstan, Sundet Aytkul looks as good as he ever has. After dropping to 7-2 in 2024, he has reeled off six straight wins against legitimate competition. He’s finished all but one career win, proving his danger. His fight this Thursday against Maycon Alcino represents a step down in competition and should end in another finish. Fighters with Aytkul’s finishing rate don’t stay regional for long.
A rangey fighter, Sundet punishes opponents with a stiff jab. He follows those up with combinations that always include a deadly uppercut. He grabs the back of the head often to set up those uppercuts as well as knees to the head. Aytkul works in a thai clinch too, but less often. Leg kicks and head kicks are deployed in heavy doses, and everything that lands leaves noticeable damage. For such a powerful fighter, Aytkul does a great job of not rushing. Even when opponents are hurt, he shows great patience and fight IQ.
Given how dangerous he is on the feet, Aytkul’s grappling is often tested. It holds up well, as he sprawls solidly and fights the hands. Even if the fight is brought to the ground, he is far from out of his element. Sometimes he even opts to bring it there himself, and when he does, it’s dangerous. He has 7 career submissions, and is fast in grabbing hold of the neck if it’s ever presented to him. Overall, Sundet is fun to watch, and could slot in fine in the UFC featherweight division today if they chose to scoop him up. After going over his film in detail, I have slotted him as my 33rd-best prospect in the world.
Quick Hits:
Abdelrahman Essam (10-0, Featherweight)
While being 31 excludes him from truly being considered a prospect, Abdelrahman Essam has a squeaky-clean record that’s getting him a mention here. The Canadian-Egyptian fighter is making his UAE Warriors debut in the co-main event. Abdelrahman has frankly been fighting subpar competition in Canada lately, so veteran Sylvester Chipfumbu is a step up. A heavy-handed grappler, Essam is tough but hasn’t shown top-tier tools yet. His grappling should be the path to victory here, as I expect him to be a step slower on the feet. A co-main win here should greatly boost both his profile and his resume.
Farida Abdueva (8-2) v Michele Oliveira (6-1)
The women’s strawweight main event consists of 2 fighters that are right on the edge of being legitimate prospects for me. Abdueva is fast on the feet, and mixes it up at all three levels. She is a fun fighter, willing to stand and trade in the pocket. She is a Muay Thai-style fighter and does her best work in the clinch, but she is still improving in the grappling department. Michele Oliveira is talented but also 33 years old. The strong Brazilian should be a step behind on the feet, but a step ahead in the grappling. Once she gets it to the ground, she is aggressive with the ground-and-pound and can still maintain position well while searching for the finish.
Abdueva already got a shot at the Road to the UFC tournament, where she lost in the semifinals. Seeing as she’s just 22, she probably only needs a win or two in order to get another look. Oliveira, on the other hand, might be a little old for a UFC stint. But if MVP/PFL wants to start a strawweight division, they could do worse than her as one of the key signings.
I have written about it recently, but the sentiment remains. When it comes to prospects, Middle Eastern promotions often feature some of the very best. With Aytkul, Vagabov, and Atdayev on the card, we are spoiled with top-tier prospects to watch. Fores and Bessala are fighters ready to take a big step toward potential stardom. And the main event gives us two female fighters at pivotal points in their careers, looking for their shot at the big time. I will be tuning in, and you should, too.
