Why Levan Chokheli's takedown defence is the key variable against Islam Dulatov

The setup

On Saturday, December 5, 2026, UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs Magomedov brings Levan Chokheli (15-3-0 (1 NC)) and Islam Dulatov (12-1-0) together at welterweight on the prelims at ANB Arena in Riyadh, scheduled for three rounds.

Our schedule tables list 12 bouts on the card; this one is filed under the prelims. The bout is listed as announced in the PropBetEdge schedule.

The question this preview works through is whether Levan Chokheli can keep the fight where 0% takedown defence says it will struggle to stay, against a 2.2-takedowns-per-15 opponent. Career-to-date round statistics are on file for both fighters, so that comparison is two-sided.

Tale of the tape

• Record: Levan Chokheli 15-3-0 (1 NC) · Islam Dulatov 12-1-0
• Age: Levan Chokheli 30 · Islam Dulatov 28
• Height: Levan Chokheli 6'0" · Islam Dulatov 6'3"
• Reach: Levan Chokheli 73" · Islam Dulatov 75"
• Stance: Levan Chokheli Orthodox · Islam Dulatov Orthodox
• Listed weight: Levan Chokheli 170 lbs · Islam Dulatov 170 lbs

The 2-inch reach gap in Islam Dulatov's favour (75" to 73") is the tape's headline number; it defines the range each man is working from. A reach edge matters most when the longer fighter also sets the pace, and here the numbers cut the other way: Levan Chokheli out-lands Dulatov 15.65 to 8.78 per minute, so the shorter fighter is the busier one and has to cross the gap to do it. That is a different fight from a long fighter picking apart a passive one. Both fight orthodox, so lead hands mirror and the rear-hand exchanges are conventional.

Recent form

Levan Chokheli has 1 completed UFC bout in the PropBetEdge archive: 1 win. That win came inside the distance. Most recently he beat Leon Shahbazyan by KO/TKO in round 1 on Jun 20, 2026. That puts him 168 days out by fight night.

• W vs Leon Shahbazyan — KO/TKO, R1 (Jun 20, 2026, UFC Fight Night: Kape vs. Horiguchi 2)

Islam Dulatov has 2 completed UFC bouts in the PropBetEdge archive: 2 wins. Every one of them came inside the distance (2 by KO/TKO). Most recently he beat Adam Fugitt by KO/TKO in round 1 on Jul 19, 2025. That is 504 days before fight night on our dates, a layoff long enough to count as a variable in its own right.