Abdul-Kerim Edilov

Abdul-Kerim Edilov
Born(1991-11-25)25 November 1991
Chechnya, Russia
Died29 December 2022(2022-12-29) (aged 31)
NationalityRussian
Height6 ft 3 in (190.5 cm)
Weight205 lb (93 kg)
DivisionLight Heavyweight
TeamFight Club Akhmat
Mixed martial arts record
Total21
Wins17
By knockout9
By submission7
By decision1
Losses4
By submission3
By decision1
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Abdul-Kerim Edilov (25 November 1991 – 29 December 2022) was a Russian mixed martial artist who competed in the Light Heavyweight division. Notably associated with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Edilov was also known for his close ties to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, having served as the Chechnya's Vice-Premier and Minister of Sports.[1]

Edilov died in December 2022, with the circumstances of his death attracting attention and discussion.[2][3]

Early life

Edilov was born on November 25, 1991, in the Chechnya, Russia.[4]

Mixed Martial Arts

Edilov began his mixed martial arts career in the early 2010s. Initially scheduled to debut in the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2016, Edilov faced a setback due to a 15-month suspension by the UFC after testing positive for meldonium, a banned substance.[5][6]

Edilov made a successful UFC debut in 2017, defeating Bojan Mihajlovic by a second-round technical knockout (TKO). In 2018, Edilov left the UFC, reportedly requesting his release to join Absolute Championships Akhmat (ACA), a promotion formed from the merger of several organizations.[7][8]

Relationship with Ramzan Kadyrov

Edilov was associated with Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Chechnya.[9] In his political career, Edilov served as deputy prime minister of Chechnya. In September 2022, allegations of drug use surfaced, leading to speculation about Edilov's standing within Kadyrov's inner circle. Following these allegations, Edilov's public appearances and social media activity significantly diminished.[10]

On 23 November 2022, it was officially announced that Edilov had resigned from his position as deputy prime minister, a decision stated to be made "at his own initiative".[11] The lack of clarity surrounding the circumstances of his resignation and subsequent reduction in public visibility contributed to rumors about a potential estrangement from Kadyrov.[12]

Death

Edilov died under mysterious circumstances[13] at the age of 31 in December 2022. His death was reported by Chechen opposition movements, leading to speculation about the cause and manner of his death.[14]

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown
21 matches 17 wins 4 losses
By knockout 9 0
By submission 7 3
By decision 1 1
Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Win 17–4 Bojan Mihajlović TKO (punches) UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Struve September 2, 2017 2 2:32 Rotterdam, Netherlands
Win 16–4 Leonardo Gosling TKO (leg kicks) WFCA 3 June 13, 2015 1 0:36 Grozny, Russia
Win 15–4 Tiago Mônaco Tosato Submission (rear-naked choke) WFCA 1 March 14, 2015 1 2:28 Grozny, Russia
Win 14–4 Gilliard Alfredo Fagundes Submission (rear-naked choke) Fight Nights: Battle of Moscow 18 December 20, 2014 1 0:50 Moscow, Russia
Win 13–4 Cristhian Torres Submission (rear-naked choke) ACB 10 October 4, 2014 1 1:42 Grozny, Russia
Win 12–4 Fernando Almeida Decision (unanimous) ACB 9 June 22, 2014 1 2:17 Grozny, Russia
Win 11–4 Lahat Faye TKO (punch and soccer kick) Fight Nights: Battle of Moscow 15 March 28, 2014 1 1:35 Moscow, Russia
Win 10–4 Pavel Tretyakov TKO (punches) Fight Nights: Krepost Selection 3 February 15, 2014 1 2:28 Moscow, Russia
Win 9–4 Michał Gutowski TKO (punches) Fight Nights: Battle on Terek October 4, 2013 1 0:37 Grozny, Russia
Win 8–4 Radjabov Sohib Submission (rear-naked choke) Cage Warriors 58 August 24, 2013 1 0:45 Grozny, Russia Catchweight (210 lb) bout.
Win 7–4 Jiří Procházka Submission (rear-naked choke) Fight Nights: Battle of Moscow 12 June 20, 2013 1 1:56 Moscow, Russia
Loss 6–4 Charles Andrade Submission (guillotine choke) Fight Nights: Battle of Moscow 11 April 20, 2013 1 0:58 Moscow, Russia
Win 6–3 Nicholas Boyarchuk Submission (rear-naked choke) Fight Nights: Battle of Moscow 9 December 16, 2012 1 1:14 Moscow, Russia
Win 5–3 Gadzhimurad Antigulov TKO (punches) Dictator FC 1 June 28, 2012 1 2:28 Moscow, Russia
Loss 4–3 Viktor Nemkov Decision (unanimous) Legaue S-70: Russian Grand Prix 2011 (Stage 3) April 6, 2012 3 5:00 Moscow, Russia
Win 4–2 Alexander Grebenkin TKO (punches) ProFC 22 December 17, 2010 1 2:40 Rostov-on-Don, Russia
Win 3–2 Murad Kamilov TKO (punches) ProFC 19: Cup of Russia 2010 Stage 1 November 13, 2010 1 1:30 Taganrog, Russia Won the 2010 ProFC Light Heavyweight Tournament.
Win 2–2 Dmitriy Surnev Submission (triangle choke) 1 2:36 2010 ProFC Light Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal.
Loss 1–2 Abdurakhman Nurmagomedov Technical Submission (triangle choke) Golden Fist of Russia 1 June 10, 2010 1 1:59 Moscow, Russia Light Heavyweight debut.
Win 1–1 Igor Saveliev Decision (unanimous) M-1 Selection 2010: Eastern Europe Round 2 April 10, 2010 3 5:00 Kyiv, Ukraine
Loss 0–1 Stanislav Molodtsov Submission (armbar) Atrium Pankration Cup 2010 March 10, 2010 1 2:11 Moscow, Russia Middleweight debut.

References

  1. ^ "Kadyrov's children's coach becomes Sports Minister of Chechnya". The Insider (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  2. ^ Zidan, Karim (2023-02-28). "The mysterious death of Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov's favorite fighter". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  3. ^ "Российский экс-боец UFC Эдилов скончался в возрасте 31 года - Газета.Ru | Новости". Газета.Ru (in Russian). 2024-02-24. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  4. ^ "Abdul-Kerim Edilov ("The Chechnyan Lion") | MMA Fighter Page". Tapology. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  5. ^ Raimondi, Marc (2016-10-21). "USADA suspends Edilov 15 months for meldonium". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  6. ^ "USADA Informs UFC Signee Abdul-Kerim Edilov of Potential Anti-Doping Violation". Yahoo Sports. 2016-02-03. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  7. ^ Calhoun, Curtis (2022-12-29). "MMA Fighter & Close Ally To Ramzan Kadyrov Dead At 31". MMA News | UFC News, Results & Interviews. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  8. ^ "En Tchétchénie, l'octogone de MMA est un théâtre politique au service de Kadyrov - Le Temps" (in French). 2023-01-17. ISSN 1423-3967. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  9. ^ "Imagine Kadyrov is gone. People entertaining rumours about the health of the head of the Chechen Republic should consider the problems Chechnya will face in a worst-case scenario". Novaya Gazeta Europe. 1986-06-15. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  10. ^ Узел, Кавказский. "Appointment of Vice-Premier of Chechnya highlights principles of Kadyrov's personnel policy". Caucasian Knot. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  11. ^ Узел, Кавказский. "Источники сообщили о смерти Абдул-Керима Эдилова". Кавказский Узел. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  12. ^ "CE QUE L'ON SAIT DE LA MORT MYSTÉRIEUSE D'EDILOV, LE COMBATTANT PRÉFÉRÉ DE RAMZAN KADYROV". CNEWS.
  13. ^ Zidan, Karim (2023-02-28). "The mysterious death of Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov's favorite fighter". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
  14. ^ "Должность умершего при неясных обстоятельствах экс-тренера детей Кадырова занял его брат". Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (in Russian). 2023-03-14. Retrieved 2024-02-24.