Muslim Salikhov is flying the flag for the Republic of Dagestan at UFC 251 in Abu Dhabi this weekend and on the eve of the event he paid tribute to Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, father of UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, and a driving force behind the rise of MMA in Russia. “He was like the father of MMA here,” Salikhov said of Abdulmanap. “It’s been tough for everybody in Dagestan because this man was a big name, everybody respects and loves him because he was one of the first men to bring MMA to Russia, to Dagestan. We are all very sad for that.” The coach and mentor died in Moscow on July 3, aged 57, “due to complications stemming from Covid-19 infection”, according to a statement from Khabib Nurmagomedov’s management. “People have been sending Khabib messages or trying to call because the situation for travel in Dagestan now is still not very good,” said Salikhov. Two Dagestani fighters – bantamweight Umar Nurmagomedov (cousin of Khabib) and flyweight Tagir Ulanbekov – withdrew from Fight Island cards on the eve of UFC 251, the first of four events shifted to the facilities on Yas Island off the United Arab Emirates capital. The UFC has, meanwhile, given Khabib as much time off as needed to “mourn and do whatever he needs to do”, as Dana White told a media scrum this week “We’re just leaving him alone,” said the UFC boss. Salikhov (16-2) lines up against Brazilian Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (22-6) on the preliminary card. The clash has martial arts geeks buzzing as it is a match-up between fighters grounded in two distinct schools – and their respective fight names give the game away on that score. The 33-year-old Zaleski (aka “Capoeira”) was a stand-out junior in that Afro-Brazilian martial art, while the 36-year-old Salikhov (aka “King of Kung Fu”) had a storied pre-MMA career across Chinese martial arts that included a long reign as the “King of Sanda”, or Chinese kick-boxing. “I’m happy to get this fight and to get a fight on such a big card,” said Salikhov. “I have to do my best to show people my skills. I feel like I am ready for anything. Jiu-jitsu, wrestling, striking. I’m ready. “When I started it was a long time ago and there were a lot of nerves. Now, I feel like fighting is another day at the office. I am a professional fighter so I am ready any time,” he said. “I have heard people talk about having no crowds at these events. I have never fought without a crowd, but when I step inside the cage I hear nobody but my coach, my corner. I see nobody but my opponent.” Zaleski last August provided Li “The Leech” Jingliang (17-6) with the biggest scalp of his career, coming to Shenzhen for UFC Fight Night 157 and being given a thorough going over by the Chinese star. He was never really in that contest, as Li stayed out of range and basically controlled the cage on his way to a third-round TKO. Zaleski took it as a lesson learned and he bounced back with a unanimous decision over Russian Alexey Kunchenko (20-2) that showcased the spinning kicks and the sheer athleticism that had become the Brazilian’s trademarks. That win – and the 7-0 run in the UFC that preceded the loss to Li – haven’t escaped Salikhov’s attention. “Li Jingliang did a good job with him, with a lot of footwork,” said Salikhov. “I think Zaleski was not ready for that. But after that fight I think he understood that was his mistake and he has worked on that. Sometimes when you lose it is good for your experience and you can be ready for next time. Now I think he is more dangerous than before. So I can thank Li JIngliang for that.” It’s a tough call – given the top of the UFC 251 card has “fireworks” written all over it – but we just might have a Fight of the Night contender on our hands here. The form guide shows 12 of Salikhov’s 16 career wins have come via knockout, while Zaleski boasts 17 KOs in his 22 victories. Time is ticking away for both men, too, as they look to make a career-defining run deep into the talent-stacked UFC welterweight rankings. “I think Zaleski is a top fighter,” said Salikhov. “Before Li Jingliang he had a win streak of seven fights. Good results for any fighter in the UFC. He is a good striker but is also good at jiu-jitsu. This guy doesn’t have a lot of holes – but I will find some.”