Makkasharip Zaynukov Dominates Takeshi Izumi with Khabib Nurmagomedov in His Corner – PFL Africa 1 Highlights

Makkasharip Zaynukov moved to 2-0 under the PFL banner, earning a decisive decision victory over Japanese standout Takeshi Izumi at PFL Africa 1 in Cape Town.

After putting on a bit of a grappling clinic in the opening round, Izumi and Zaynukov opted to let their fists fly in the second stanza. Halfway through the round, Izumi attempted to shoot in for a takedown, but Zaynukov saw it coming and quickly reversed, taking Izumi’s back.

Impressively, Izumi scrambled his way out of the compromising position and back to his feet. Once upright, Izumi pressed Zaynukov against the cage wall and momentarily changed levels, looking for a single-leg before opting to back away and re-center himself inside the Smart Cage.

Both fighters got back to wrestling in the third. Izumi more than held his own against the Russian, but it was Zaynukov who appeared to have the advantage, particularly in the latter half of the round.

After 15 minutes of back-and-forth action, we head to the scorecards, where all three judges unsurprisingly favored Zaynukov.

Official Result: Makkasharip Zaynukov def. Takeshi Izumi via unanimous decision (no scorecard given).

Check Out Highlights from Makkasharip Zaynukov vs. Takeshi Izumi at PFL Africa 1: