Fighters » Rustam Kerimov
Rustam Kerimov is a highly-ranked Russian Mixed Martial Artist competing in the Featherweight and Bantamweight divisions, known for his powerful wrestling and striking. He has established a strong professional record of 21 wins and 2 losses while fighting for prominent promotions like ACA (Absolute Championship Akhmat).
Notable Fights
Kerimov has faced several seasoned opponents throughout his career. Here are some of his most significant bouts:
- ACA Bantamweight Championship vs. Oleg Borisov (March 2018 & March 2023): Kerimov’s two fights against Oleg Borisov are central to his career. He first won the vacant ACA Bantamweight title against Borisov by split decision in 2018. Five years later, he lost a closely contested split decision rematch.
- Win Over UFC Veteran Takeya Mizugaki (September 2017): A standout victory on his record is a first-round TKO win against former UFC title challenger and veteran Takeya Mizugaki.
- Two Fights Against Abdul-Rakhman Dudaev: Kerimov defeated the highly-regarded Dudaev twice, first by unanimous decision in a five-round title fight in 2019, and again in 2022.
- Recent Featherweight Bout vs. Dzhambulat Selimkhanov (October 2025): In his most recent fight, Kerimov moved to Featherweight and challenged for the title but suffered a fifth-round KO loss.
Fighting Style and Background
- Fighting Style: Analysts describe Kerimov as a powerful and explosive fighter with high-level wrestling, often using his kicks to set up takedowns. He maintains a high work rate and has potent ground-and-pound.
- Association: He trains with the renowned Fight Club Akhmat and DagFighter in Makhachkala, Russia, a camp known for producing many elite fighters.
