Rinat Fakletdinov is hoping to face a ranked opponent following his win over Nicolas Dalby at UFC on ABC 6 on Saturday.
Fakletdinov was the overwhelming favorite going into the bout, but he got a rather unpleasant surprise from the underdog Dalby. Dalby is known for subverting the odds, and he nearly did so again this time around, giving Fakletdinov a tough fight. Fakletdinov ultimately won by split decision, but many believe it could have easily been reversed.
Fakletdinov was not pleased with the content of his victory as he was looking for the finish, but the Russian understood why his opponent, who he currently considers the most underrated fighter in the welterweight division, came into the bout on a four-fight winning streak.
“I’m happy with the fight, but not with the result,” Fakhretdinov told Red Corner MMA. “I wanted a convincing win and a finish, but I can see why Dalby has won four fights in a row. He’s a very tough opponent and I think he’s the most underrated fighter in the division.”
Dalby has an unusually large breathing system that has seemed to work pretty well so far, but it wasn’t Dalby’s breathing that surprised Fakletdinov, it was the strength of his grip, and Fakletdinov believes it’s the strength of “Danish Dynamite” that tires Dalby’s opponents, rather than his pressure.
“He breathes like that in every match, apparently that’s how he recovers. If you look closely, he does it every time, so I was prepared for it,” Fakhretdinov said. “What I wasn’t prepared for is that he has such a strong grip. It really surprised me, but now I understand. It wasn’t because he was like a train, but because his strength tired his opponents. I think we underestimated Dalby a lot. You have to give him a lot of credit.”
Fakhretdinov then proposed to face Neil Magny at UFC on ABC 7 in Abu Dhabi on August 3.
“Abu Dhabi, Neil Magny, let’s go!” he said.
Fakletdinov’s only professional defeat came in his sophomore bout in 2013. “The Gladiator” is undefeated in UFC, but his last bout against Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos in November 2023 ended in a majority decision draw.
