Another former world champion became a member of the UFC selection.
The UFC has recently picked up more and more veterans and added stars of promotions such as Bellator MMA and Rizin that many expected never to compete in the Octagon.
In recent years we have seen the UFC board hunters of 35 years and older, such as former Tweedivisie Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull (37) and former title champion Michael 'Venom' Page (36).
The newest signing of the UFC comes from Bellator and Rizin in the stacked lightweight division.
Photo by Masashi Hara/Getty images
Tofiq Musayev, 35, set for UFC debut on UFC Baku
On Friday, Vestnik MMA reported that former Rizin Lightweight champion Tofiq Musayev had signed at the UFC and would make his promotion debut at UFC Baku on 21 June.
Musayev meets Mytybek Orolbai, a tough fan favorite from Kyrgyzstan who comes from a massacre, fight-of-the-year participant against Mateusz Rebecki on UFC 308.
It is a home fight for Musayev, who fights in his country Azerbaijan. The map is led by a slightly heavyweight fight between Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree Jr.
The 35-year-old Musayev enters the Octagon with an impressive pro-record of 22-5 and has only lost twice in the last decade. The Knock outpartist has 18 KOs and a 91% finishing percentage.
⚡️ теперreprene “точно, подтвердили осе стороны ыыыish орол nice (UFC 2-1) станет перtr. Боamb полнил кард #ufcbaku, которыagon состоитс all 21 ююн groups. pic.twitter.com/bjlbrltaxh
– вестник ма (@vestnikmma) 23 May 2025
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Who fought Tofiq Musayev outside the UFC?
In 2019, Musayev won the Rizin Lightweight Grand Prix with a decision victory at former Bellator champion Patricky Pitbull.
In the same year, Musayev defeated three former UFC hunters back-to-back in Daron Cruickshank, Damien Brown and Johnny Case.
Musayev had a 1-1 stint in Bellator and was part of the Bellator Lightweight Grand Prix where he lost to Alexander Shabliy in 2023. Musayev won his Bellator debut against Sidney Outlaw with a knockout of 27 seconds the year before.
Musayev has been 3-2 since winning the Rizin title in 2019 with his other loss to promotional champion Roberto de Souza.
The newest signer of the UFC ended his last two opponents in the Rizin Cage. Musayev has not fought anymore since November 2023.