World Series of Fighting (WSOF) have signed three of Russia’s top mixed-martial-arts prospects to multi-year deals, as the promotion continue to bolster their roster.
The deal includes undefeated paring of middleweight Vagab Vagabov (15-0) and flyweight Magomed Bibulatov (9-0) as well as tough bantamweight Magomed Magomedov (10-1) and are all slated to make their U.S. debuts in the near future.
“We are excited to welcome these three fast-climbing, young stars to the WSOF roster and expect them to shake things up in the world of MMA,” said WSOF President, six-time world champion and two-time Hall of Famer Ray Sefo.
“Over the last couple of years,” continued Sefo, “we have seen a tremendous amount of high-caliber talent being unearthed from Russia, and I am proud to say that WSOF has been pro-active and played a significant part in these discoveries, and will continue to search and sign the most promising talent from this part of the world as well as elsewhere around the globe.”
29-year-old Vagabov has amassed seven knockout finished and four submissions finishing, accumulating an impressive 74 percent finish ratio over his nine year career. He is most well-known for his appearances in Russian promotion M-1 and is coming off a second round TKO victory of Chris Katanga in Moscow, Russia on April 18.
125 pounder Bibulatov, 26, comes into the promotion off a first round knockout of Eduardo Felipe in Grozny. Fighting out of Grozny, Chechnya, Russia, Bibulatov is touted as one of the top prospects in the world at 125, and has fought as high as as featherweight. He holds a tremendous wrestling base, and often showcases flashy spin techniques as well as his notable wrestling slams. In 2013 he compeered in a one-night, eight-man tournament in Lamego, Portugal where defeated three consecutive opponents, including two by way of first round submission, to emerge the winner of the single-elimination affair.
Also, bantamweight Magomedov is another Russian who has made his name over in M-1. After losing the second fight of his career he has gone on to amount a nine-fight win streak, surging baosting a 70 percent finish rate. Most recently on May 24, Magomedov earned a unanimous decision over Paata Robakidze in Astana, Kazakhstan.
The Russian movement seems to be in full-flow in WSOF, and with the recent high profile release of Jessica Aguilar, signing of three talents who could potentially go on to be marquee names for the company shows a good bounce back in form.
