Nikita Krylov
Active 2013–present · rated in 6 editions · peak overall 82.0
Scouting report
Kyokushin karate kicks and opportunistic submission grappling make Nikita "The Miner" Krylov an aggressive finisher who rarely lets a bout reach the judges' scorecards. Born in Krasnyi Luch, Ukraine, Krylov scored victories over Alexander Gustafsson, Volkan Oezdemir, and Ryan Spann, reflected in an 84 Kickboxing score, 84 BJJ, and 82 Overall rating.
Peak ratings
By edition
Upon moving to light heavyweight in 2014, Krylov authored a three-fight stoppage streak between 2014 and 2015, stopping Cody Donovan in Dublin, finishing Stanislav Nedkov with a guillotine in Stockholm, and submitting Marcos Rogerio de Lima with a rear-naked choke in Saskatoon. His Kyokushin karate striking and submission opportunism are reflected in an 82 Boxing and 82 Kickboxing.
Krylov extended his stoppage streak to five in 2016, submitting Francimar Barroso with a rear-naked choke in Rotterdam and knocking out Ed Herman with a head kick at UFC 201 in Atlanta, before dropping a guillotine to Misha Cirkunov at UFC 206 in Toronto. His head kicks and finishing instinct justify his 83 Boxing and 83 Kickboxing.
After a run of wins on Russian Fight Nights Global cards, Krylov returned to the UFC and submitted Ovince Saint Preux with a rear-naked choke at UFC 236 in Atlanta, after losing to Jan Blachowicz in Moscow in September 2018, then lost a split decision to Glover Teixeira in Vancouver. His kickboxing combinations, scramble wrestling, and submission threat are captured in an 83 Boxing and 83 Kickboxing.
Between 2020 and 2021, Krylov defeated Johnny Walker by unanimous decision in Brasilia, before dropping a decision to Magomed Ankalaev in Las Vegas. His grappling control, takedown persistence, and kickboxing fundamentals support his 83 Boxing and 78 Wrestling ratings.
Krylov put together a three-fight winning streak across 2022 and 2023, knocking out former title challenger Alexander Gustafsson in round one in London, outworking Volkan Oezdemir in Abu Dhabi, and submitting Ryan Spann with a triangle choke at UFC Fight Night 221 in Las Vegas. His finishing arsenal and wrestling transitions anchor his 84 Boxing and 80 Wrestling.
Nikita Krylov, the Kyokushin karate fighter who finishes fast
Nikita Krylov began Kyokushin karate at ten because his father had been a successful competitor in it, and he moved into MMA in 2012. He won his debut in Donetsk by TKO and then took eleven more fights in about five months, ten by submission and one by TKO. He changed his nickname from Al Capone to The Miner as a nod to his hometown. In a draft he is a finisher with real range: kicks, chokes and knees all appear on his highlight reel.
Krylov, one attribute at a time
Boxing. A high 84. He stopped Alexander Gustafsson in the first round in 2022, a win that earned Performance of the Night.
Kickboxing. Also 84. The head kick that finished Walt Harris in 25 seconds and the one that ended Ed Herman 40 seconds into round two show the karate base.
Wrestling. The lowest number on his card at 80, still a strong figure for the division. His record leans more toward finishing than controlling.
BJJ. An elite 84. He finished Stanislav Nedkov with a standing guillotine, Marcos Rogerio de Lima with a rear-naked choke and Ryan Spann with a triangle.
Strength. A big 84. A knee knocked out Emanuel Newton 43 seconds into their 2017 fight, and the kick finishes back it up.
Durability. A good 82, though first-round submission losses to Misha Cirkunov and Paul Craig show a soft spot on the ground.
Cardio. The top of his card at 86. His debut in the promotion is the counter-example: he tired after the first round against Soa Palelei and blamed nerves and a long trip from Donetsk.
Fight IQ. A solid 82. He won a rematch with Ovince Saint Preux by rear-naked choke after being choked out by him the first time.
Cardio at 86 sits over a loaded card
Cardio is the top number at 86, and it is the reverse of how his time in the promotion began, when he faded against Soa Palelei. Since then he has finished Walt Harris in 25 seconds and Gustafsson in the first round, and he took unanimous decisions over Johnny Walker and Volkan Oezdemir. Very little on this card is below 82, so he is one of the more complete light heavyweights available.
Wrestling at 80 is the relative low point
Wrestling is his lowest rating, though 80 is far from poor. The question is whether he can be caught before he can finish. Ovince Saint Preux choked him out with a Von Flue choke when he went for a guillotine, and Glover Teixeira took a split decision over him, his first decision loss. A patient grappler is the best counter.
Keep exploring
Closest light heavyweight profiles to Nikita Krylov, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Anthony Smithbest boxing 86 · weakest wrestling 76
- Ovince Saint Preuxbest strength 85 · weakest fight iq 80
- Forrest Griffinbest cardio 90 · weakest wrestling 80
- Thiago Silvabest boxing 84 · weakest wrestling 76
- Light Heavyweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Protecting your streak: a guide that fits Nikita Krylov's strongest attribute, Cardio.
Draft Nikita Krylov into your build
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Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Nikita Krylov is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Nikita Krylov's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.