Ismail Dudayev was a Chechen fighter ranked within the top ten of the Ultimate Fighting Challenge's Light Heavyweight division. He had previously been impressed with Alex's fights, all of which were bloody spectacles.
But he had always considered Alex's lack of grappling to make him a non-contender. It was not that Alex was bad at grappling, or even mediocre. Rather, it was the simple fact that he had yet to really demonstrate his abilities fully in that regard during his professional career.
And as a Chechen fighter, Ismail's grappling abilities were better than most who came out of the United States. But this could be forgiven. What could not be forgiven, however, was the fact that Alex continued to generate headlines within the industry. Becoming a superstar of the sport within even entering the top ten rankings.
