MVP/PFL has locked up one of MMA’s biggest non-UFC names.
25-year-old Razhabali Shaydullaev, a Kyrgyzstan-based fighter who has an undefeated record of nearly 20 wins, including numerous high-profile names, has reportedly worked out a deal to join the PFL/MVP MMA roster come 2027, per Ariel Helwani.
Shaydullaev has gained notoriety over the years while competing for RIZIN, Japan’s top MMA organization. He captured the brand’s featherweight title just last year, finishing veteran grappler Kleber Koike in just 62 seconds as part of a Tokyo Dome main event.
Since then, he has defended his belt a busy four times in a row. The latest win came this morning, when he took down ex-Bellator champ AJ McKee Jr. in the main event of a stadium show at the 55,000-capacity Kyocera Dome Osaka in Osaka, Japan.
While Shaydullaev is expected to join the roster of PFL & MVP, which are soon to complete a merger, he has one fight left on his deal with RIZIN. His sendoff will take place on the company’s annual New Year’s Eve event at the Saitama Super Arena. While not made official, they’re planning to book him against 20-year-old prospect Kyoma Akimoto as part of that show.
Once that fight is completed, a two-year deal with the PFL will begin.
The signing is a huge win for PFL/MVP, who find themselves in a constant battle against the UFC to scoop up valuable free agents in MMA. Many of RIZIN’s most prominent past names have been picked up by the UFC, including Jiri Prochazka, Kai Asakura, Kyoji Horiguchi, and Manel Kape. Now, a fighter listed by FightMatrix as the #6 featherweight in the world is instead getting into a long-term agreement with PFL.
