Russian middleweight Islam Yanarsanov made his professional debut as he pulled off a choke that most veterans of 50-plus fights don’t even have on their resumes.
Saturday at National Fighting League 1 in Nazran, Ingushetia, Russia, Yanarsanov (1-0) put Shikhabudin Shikhabudinov (0-1) to sleep with a slick buggy choke at 2:05 of Round 2.
The sequence began when Yanarsanov attempted a spinning attack and was dragged to the canvas by Shikhabudinov. As Shikhabudinov rotated into side control, Yanarsanov shot his legs up and wrapped his arm underneath them.
Shikhabudinov’s head and arm were trapped between Yanarsanov’s limbs and chest. As Yanarsanov squeezed, the lights went out on Shikhabudinov, and eventually the referee stepped in to save the unconscious fighter.
Buggy choke finish by Islam Yanarsanov in his pro debut at NFL 1 🇷🇺 pic.twitter.com/e8fINWgJdT
— Matysek (@Matysek88) August 31, 2024
Granted that rare submissions are more common in the lower professional ranks due to lack of defensive techniques, by comparison there has never been a buggy choke in UFC history. They are extremely rare at all levels in MMA.
