Undefeated UFC light heavyweight Yakhyaev dismisses MrBeast lookalike comparisons after viral fan debate

Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev had no idea who MrBeast was until fans started flooding his mentions after his knockout victory over Raffael Cerqueira at UFC Qatar last November — and now that he does, he is not flattered by the comparison.

The unbeaten Turkish light heavyweight, who has finished nine of his ten career wins and spent a combined 3:33 inside the octagon across his three UFC appearances, told Red Corner MMA that the viral moment prompted him to look up the YouTube star for the first time.

“To be honest with you, I didn’t even know who he was,” Yakhyaev said. “But after the fight in Qatar, when they started making those comparisons, I checked him out and found out that he’s some vlogger who’s popular on YouTube. I don’t think I look like him. People just imagine things. He needs to remove his mustache, I think. Not really [enjoying the comparison].”

Yakhyaev’s rapid rise in the UFC has been built on a string of devastating early finishes rather than social media attention. He has gone past the first round only twice in his entire professional career, a record that has earned him genuine respect within the sport regardless of any celebrity resemblance debate.

Jimmy Donaldson, known online as MrBeast, is widely regarded as the most-subscribed individual creator on YouTube. The comparison between the two appears to have originated with fans noticing a physical likeness, though Yakhyaev is clearly unconvinced — and has a straightforward suggestion for how Donaldson could resolve the matter.