Gadzhi Rabadanov

Gadzhi Rabadanov
Born	(1993-07-01) July 1, 1993 (age 30) Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia
Residence	Chelyabinsk, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia
Nationality	Russian
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight	155 lb (70 kg; 11 st 1 lb)
Division	Lightweight
Reach	72 in (183 cm) [1]
Style	Combat Sambo
Stance	Southpaw
Fighting out of	Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia San Jose, California, U.S.
Team	American Kickboxing Academy Eagles MMA Mamishev Team
Trainer	Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov Javier Mendez
Rank	International Master of Sport in Amateur MMA
Years active	2013–present
Mixed martial arts record
Total	26
Wins	21
By knockout	6
By submission	5
By decision	10
Losses	4
By knockout	2
By submission	1
By decision	1
Draws	1
Other information
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
Medal record Representing   Russia Men's Combat Sambo WCSF World Championship 2014 Moscow, Russia −74 kg Men's MMA WMMAA World Championship 2015 Prague, Czech Republic −70 kg

Gadzhi Kadiomarovich Rabadanov (born July 1, 1993) is a Russian mixed martial artist, currently fighting in the Lightweight division of Bellator MMA. He has been fighting as pro since 2013. He has previously competed in Professional Fighters League (PFL) and Fight Nights Global (FNG).

Rabadanov is a former Eagle Fighting Championship (EFC) lightweight champion. He is also won gold medal in the MMA World Championship in Prague (2015). ^[2] As result Rabadanov was given International Master of Sports in mixed martial arts (MMA) for his achievements in Prague. He is also bronze medalist from World Combat Sambo Championship.

Early life

Rabadanov was born in the village of Makhachkala, in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, on January 1,1993, of Dargin ethnicity. ^[3] He currently resides in Chelyabinsk. In his childhood, he played football and was passionate about freestyle wrestling. Rabadanov eventually switched to combat samboat the age of 17 years old, where he came under the tutelage of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. ^{[4] [5]}

Following his graduation from high school, he combined his combat sambo training and study at the Russian Legal Academy. Rabadanov gave martial arts (Combat Sambo and MMA) his whole attention after his third year of college and began competing professionally in MMA. Ever since than he started doing professional MMA and grappling. He obtained a legal degree after graduating from the academy with honors. He is an amateur MMA champion of Russia in 2015. ^{[4] [5]}

Mixed Martial Arts career

Early career

In February 2013, Rabadanov made his professional MMA debut at the Octagon MMA Warriors 13 event, defeating fellow newbie Evgeniy Sokha with a kimura in the second round. ^{[6] [7]} He competed seven more times across local MMA promotions in Russia. ^{[8] [9]}

WMMAA Lightweight Champion

Rabadanov had a notable run at WMMAA World Championship at Prague, where he defeated current UFC fighters like Ľudovít Klein and Loik Radzhabov to become WMMAA Lightweight champion. ^{[10] [11]} It was in this tournament, where he became record holder for the fastest finish in amateur MMA history, with the record of defeating his opponent in 17 seconds in the very first round of the fight. ^{[4] [12] [13]}

Return to Professional MMA

Rabadanov didn't actually compete for a major MMA organization until 2016, when he went into the Fight Nights Global promotion, for whom he successfully competed in six of their events. ^{[14] [7] [15]}

Rabadanov also competed for notable MMA promotion, PFL in May 23, 2019, when he was pitted against former UFC fighter Steven "Super" Siler, which the Dagestani won via unanimous decision. ^{[16] [17]} He was unable to establish himself as regular fixture in PFL due to issues with weight cutting, so he opted to return to his homeland and resumed his career with the Russian MMA promotion Gorilla FC. ^{[7] [18]}

On February 9, 2020, Rabadanov and the Brazilian fighter, Joao Paulo de Moura e Silva were given the chance to compete for Gorilla Fighting Championships lightweight belt, after the original bout between Nurullo Aliev and Anvar Chergesov (original competitors for lightweight belt) was cancelled, at GFC 24 event, in which the Dagestani won the belt by defeating Brazilian via unanimous decision. ^{[19] [20]}

Eagle Fighting Championship

The Gorilla Fighting Championship was than bought by MMA superstar Khabib Nurmagomedov for a price of one million dollar, and than rebranded as Eagle Fighting Championship. ^[21] Rabadanov who remained lightweight champion under the new organization, was booked to defend his title against French fighter of Chechen origin Mehdi Dakaev, at EFC 30, on December 4, 2020. ^[22] Dakaev won the fight against Rabadanov via unanimous decision and ultimately becoming the new lightweight champion. ^[23]

In Rabadanov second fight for Eagle Fighting Championship, he was booked against Russian compatriot Valery Gritsutin (who was on a 6 fight winning streak), at EFC 33 event, which he won by unanimous decision. ^[24] After this fight, Rabadanov went on to sign for the US-based promotion Bellator MMA. ^[25]

Bellator MMA

Rabadanov was set to make his debut for Bellator MMA against Daniel Carey, at Bellator 263 - Pitbull vs. McKee, on July 31, 2021. ^[26] He KO'd the American fighter with a punch in round one of the fight. ^[27]

In Rabadanov second bout for Bellator MMA, he booked to face against the Maori fighter Jay-Jay Wilson, at Bellator 276 - Borics vs. Burnell, on March 12, 2022. ^[28] He defeated New Zealander via unanimous decision. ^[29]

Four months later on July 22, Rabadanov was booked to face the Hawaiian fighter Bobby King, at Bellator 283 - Lima vs. Jackson event. ^[30] He won the fight via unanimous decision. ^[31]

In December of the same year, Rabadanov participated in a special event in co-promotion between Bellator MMA and Japan-based promotion Rizin Fighting Federation called Bellator MMA vs Rizin where he set to face off against Japanese BJJ specialist by the name of Koji Takeda. ^[32] He won the fight against Takeda via unanimous decision. ^[33]

In Rabadanov fifth fight for Bellator, he was booked in a bout against the Dutch adversary Pieter Buist, at Bellator 297 - Nemkov vs. Romero event, on June 16, 2023. ^[34] The Dagestani defeated the Dutchman via unanimous decision on judges scorecard. ^[35]

PFL

Rabadanov started the 2024 season with a bout against Solomon Renfro on April 12, 2024 at PFL 2. ^[36] He won the fight by unanimous decision. ^[37]

Championships and accomplishments

Sambo

• Russian Combat Sambo Federation (RCSF)
  • Russian Professional Combat Sambo Championship-Samara, Russia (2014) at 74kg ^[38]
• World Combat Sambo Federation (WCSF)
  • World Combat Sambo Championship-Moscow, Russia (2014) at 74kg ^[39]

Amateur mixed martial arts

• Russian MMA Union
  • Russian Championship-Omsk, Russia (2015 at lightweight) ^{[40] [41]}
• World Mixed Martial Arts Association (WMMAA)
  • World Championship-Prague, Czech Republic (2015 at lightweight) ^{[42] [43] [44] [45]}

Professional mixed martial arts

• Eagle Fighting Championship/Gorilla Fighting Championship ^{[lower-alpha 1]}
  • GF Lightweight Championship (One time) ^[46]

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown

27 matches	21 wins	4 losses
By knockout	6	2
By submission	5	1
By decision	10	1
Draws	2

Res.	Record	Opponent	Method	Event	Date	Round	Time	Location	Notes
Win	21–4–2	Solomon Renfro	Decision (unanimous)	PFL 2 (2024)	April 12, 2024	3	5:00	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win	20–4–2	Pieter Buist	Decision (unanimous)	Bellator 297	September 3, 2023	3	5:00	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Win	19–4–2	Koji Takeda	Decision (unanimous)	Bellator MMA vs. Rizin	December 31, 2022	5	5:00	Saitama, Japan
Win	18–4–2	Bobby King	Decision (unanimous)	Bellator 283	June 12, 2021	5	5:00	Glendale, Arizona, United States
Win	17–4–2	Jay-Jay Wilson	Decision (unanimous)	Bellator 276	March 12, 2022	3	5:00	Saint Louis, Missouri, United States
Win	16–4–2	Daniel Carey	KO (punch)	Bellator 263	July 31, 2021	1	3:57	Inglewood, California, United States	Catchweight (150 lb) bout.
Win	15–4–2	Valery Gritsutin	Decision (unanimous)	Eagle Fighting Championship 33	February 9, 2021	3	5:00	Moscow, Russia
Loss	14–4–2	Mehdi Dakaev	Decision (unanimous)	Eagle Fighting Championship 30	December 4, 2020	3	5:00	Moscow, Russia	Lost the EFC Lightweight Championship.
Win	14–3–2	Joao Paulo de Moura e Silva	Decision (unanimous)	Gorilla Fighting 24	February 9, 2020	3	5:00	Saratov, Russia	Won the vacant EFC Lightweight Championship.
Win	13–3–2	Oton Jasse	TKO (punches)	Gorilla Fighting 22	December 13, 2019	3	1:59	Krasnodar, Russia
Win	12–3–2	Steven Siler	Decision (unanimous)	PFL 2 (2019)	May 23, 2019	3	5:00	New York, United States	Featherweight bout.
Win	11–3–2	Bekbolot Abdylda	Decision (unanimous)	Fight Nights Global 90	October 19, 2018	3	5:00	Moscow, Russia
Win	10–3–2	Igor Tarytsa	Decision (unanimous)	Fight Nights Global 83	February 22, 2018	3	5:00	Moscow, Russia	Lightweight return.
Win	9–3–2	Turganaly Abdullaev	TKO (punches)	Fight Nights Global 74	September 29, 2017	2	4:59	Moscow, Russia
Draw	8–3–2	Evgeniy Ignatiev	Draw (overturned by Russian MMA Union)	Fight Nights Global 61	March 11, 2017	3	5:00	Bryansk, Russia	Featherweight return. Originally a majority decision win for Ignatiev, overturned later.
Loss	8–3–1	Kuat Khamitov	Technical Submission (arm-triangle choke)	Fight Nights Global 57	December 16, 2016	3	3:48	Moscow, Russia
Win	8–2–1	Ruslan Yamanbaev	Submission (rear-naked choke)	Fight Nights Global 51	September 25, 2016	2	1:49	Dagestan, Russia	Catchweight (150 lb) bout.
Win	7–2–1	Vadim Kharin	TKO (punches)	Altay League: Siberian Battle	September 14, 2014	1	2:24	Kemerovo, Russia
Win	6–2–1	Viskhan Magomadov	TKO (doctor stoppage)	Liga Kavkaz: Battle in Khiv 2	August 10, 2014	2	4:57	Dagestan, Russia
Loss	5–2–1	Gusein Esenbaev	TKO (punches)	I.D MMA 6	September 21, 2013	2	0:00	Saint Petersburg, Russia
Win	5–1–1	Asalbek Kalandarov	Submission (rear-naked choke)	Open Dag Fighting Championship 5	September 20, 2013	1	2:16	Dagestan, Russia
Win	4–1–1	Arslan Zagirov	TKO (punches)	Open Dag Fighting Championship 3	August 25, 2013	1	1:57	Dagestan, Russia
Draw	3–1–1	Islam Kamaev	Draw	Liga Kavkaz: Grand Umakhan Battle	July 7, 2013	2	5:00	Khunzakh, Russia
Win	3–1	Rustam Khasanov	Submission (triangle choke)	I.D MMA 3	March 23, 2013	1	4:27	Saint Petersburg, Russia
Loss	2–1	Gusein Esenbaev	TKO (punches)			1	1:45
Win	2–0	Zagir Kazakov	Submission (triangle choke)			1	1:21		Lightweight debut.
Win	1–0	Evgeny Sokha	Submission (kimura)	Octagon MMA Warriors 2013	February 21, 2013	2	4:14	Zhukovsky, Russia	Featherweight debut.

^[47]

See also

• List of current Bellator MMA fighters
• List of male mixed martial artists

References

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External links

• Professional MMA record for Gadzhi Rabadanov from Sherdog