Eagle Fighting Championship

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Eagle Fighting Championship
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2022 in Eagle Fighting Championship
Eagle Fighting Championship-logo.jpg
FormerlyFederation of MMA of Samara (FMMAS)
Gorilla Fighting Championship (GFC)
SportMixed martial arts
FoundedMay 2017 (FMMAS/GFC)
Dec 2020 (EFC)
Owner(s)Khabib Nurmagomedov
Rizvan Magomedov
Shamil Zavurov
HeadquartersMakhachkala, Dagestan, Russia
and Miami, Florida, U.S.

Eagle Fighting Championship (EFC), commonly referred to as Eagle FC, is a mixed martial arts promotion company established in 2020 by former UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. It was renamed to Eagle Fighting Championship (EFC) after Khabib bought Gorilla Fighting Championship (GFC) for $1 million.[1][2]

History[]

In November 2020, Khabib Nurmagomedov bought the Russian MMA promotion Gorilla Fighting Championship (formerly known as Federation of MMA of Samara), for $1 million and renamed it to Eagle Fighting Championship (EFC).[3][4]

GFC had been in the industry since 2017 and was on the edge of bankruptcy. When Nurmagomedov retired, he acquired the promotion and became the promoter.

EFC held their first event in the USA on January 28, 2022 in Miami, Florida.[5][6][7]

Weight divisions[]

See also: Mixed martial arts weight classes
Weight class name Upper limit
Before 2022 After 2022[8]
Flyweight 125 lb (56.7 kg) 125 lb (56.7 kg)
Bantamweight 135 lb (61.2 kg) 135 lb (61.2 kg)
Featherweight 145 lb (65.8 kg) 145 lb (65.8 kg)
Lightweight 155 lb (70.3 kg) 155 lb (70.3 kg)
Super lightweight N/A 165 lb (74.8 kg)[9]
Welterweight 170 lb (77.1 kg) 175 lb (79.4 kg)
Middleweight 185 lb (83.9 kg) 185 lb (83.9 kg)
Light heavyweight N/A 205 lb (93.0 kg)
Heavyweight 265 lb (120.2 kg) 265 lb (120.2 kg)

Events[]

Scheduled events[]

Event Date Venue Location Country
Eagle FC 47: Odilov vs Ermekovz April 1, 2022 Red Arena Sochi, Krasnodar Russia
Eagle FC 48: Dos Santos vs. De Castro May 20, 2022 FLX Arena Miami, Florida U.S

Past events[]

Event Title Date Arena Location
Eagle FC 46: Lee vs. Sanchez March 11, 2022 FLX Arena Miami, Florida, U.S.
Eagle FC 45: Busurmankul vs. Magomedov February 18, 2022 Crocus Expo Moscow, Russia
Eagle FC 44: Spong vs. Kharitonov January 28, 2022 FLX Arena Miami, Florida, U.S
EFC 43 December 10, 2021 Moscow, Russia
EFC 42 October 17, 2021 WOW Arena Sochi, Russia
EFC 41/AMC Fight Nights September 17, 2021 Crocus Expo Arena Moscow, Russia
EFC 40 September 04, 2021 Sport Complex Jubilee Almetyevsk, Russia
EFC 39 August 22, 2021 Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
EFC 38 August 03, 2021 Issyk Kul, Kyrgyzstan
EFC 37 August 22, 2021 Almaty Arena Almaty, Kazakhstan

[10]

EFC champions[]

Class Upper weight limit Champion Date Defenses
Heavyweight 265 lb (120 kg; 18.9 st) Russia Rizvan Kuniev December 20, 2020 2
Light heavyweight 205 lb (93 kg; 14.6 st) Vacant
Middleweight 185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st) Tajikistan Faridun Odilov February 09, 2021 1
Welterweight 175 lb (79 kg; 12.5 st) Tajikistan Samandar Murodov September 17, 2021 0
Super lightweight 165 lb (75 kg; 11.8 st) Vacant
Lightweight 155 lb (70 kg; 11.1 st) Russia Mehdi Dakaev December 04, 2020 2
Featherweight 145 lb (66 kg; 10.4 st) Kyrgyzstan Busurmankul Abdibait Uulu August 3, 2021 0
Bantamweight 135 lb (61 kg; 9.6 st) Russia Renat Khavalov March 19, 2021 1
Flyweight 125 lb (57 kg; 8.9 st) Russia Mansur Malachiev August 03, 2021 0

Championship history[]

Heavyweight Championship[]

206 to 265 lb (93 to 120 kg)

No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Russia Shamil Abasov
def. Alexander Soldatkin 		Battle on Volga 4
Samara, Russia 		May 11, 2018

1. def. Yuriy Protzenko at Battle on Volga 8 on December 14, 2018

Current Russia Rizvan Kuniev GFC 16
Astrakhan, Russia 		August 30, 2019

1. def. Vladimir Dayneko at EFC 31 on December 20, 2020
2. def. Anthony Hamilton at Eagle FC 46 on March 11, 2022

Middleweight Championship[]

171 to 185 lb (77 to 84 kg)

No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Russia Rinat Fakhretdinov
def. Alberto Uda 		GFC 11
Penza, Russia 		May 03, 2019

1. def. Jhonny Carlos at GFC 16 on August 30, 2019

Fakhretdinov vacated when he chose to test the free agency
Current Tajikistan Faridun Odilov
def. Sergey Kalinin 		EFC 33
Moscow, Russia 		February 09, 2021 1. def. Enoc Solves Torres at EFC 43 on December 10, 2021

Welterweight Championship[]

166 to 175 lb (75 to 79 kg)

No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Russia Magomed Umalatov
def. Aleksey Novikov 		GFC 16
Astrakhan, Russia 		August 30, 2019 1. def. Rashid Koychakaev at EFC 31 on December 20, 2020
Umalatov vacated on May 2020 when he signed with PFL
Current Tajikistan Samandar Murodov
def. Maxim Shvets 		EFC 41
Moscow, Russia 		September 17, 2021

Lightweight Championship[]

146 to 155 lb (66 to 70 kg)

No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Russia Maksim Trunov
def. Timur Gilimzyanov 		Battle on Volga 10
Toliatti, Russia 		April 14, 2019
2 Russia Anvar Chergesov GFC 18
Samara, Russia 		October 06, 2019
3 Tajikistan Jahongir Saidjamolov GFC 29
Samara, Russia 		October 16, 2020
Saidjamolov vacated when he signed with Brave Combat Federation
Current Russia Mehdi Dakaev
def. Gadzhi Rabadanov 		EFC 30
Moscow, Russia 		December 04, 2020

1. def. Uzair Abdurakov at EFC 35 on April 06, 2021
2. def. Makkasharip Zaynukov at EFC 43 on December 10, 2021

Featherweight Championship[]

136 to 145 lb (61 to 66 kg)

No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Russia Abdurakhman Gitinovasov
def. Mark Volkov 		Battle on Volga 6
Samara, Russia 		September 23, 2018

1. def. Ivan Zhvirblia at Battle on Volga 8 on December 14, 2018

2 Armenia Jora Ayvazyan Battle on Volga 10
Toliatti, Russia 		April 14, 2019
3 Russia Rasul Magomedov EFC 30
Moscow, Russia 		December 4, 2020
4 Russia Ruslan Yamanbaev EFC 35
Moscow, Russia 		April 06, 2021
Current Kyrgyzstan Busurmankul Abdibait Uulu EFC 38
Issyk Kul, Kyrgyzstan 		August 3, 2021
- Russia Rasul Magomedov
def. Abdurakhman Gitinovasov for Interim Title 		EFC 45
Moscow, Russia 		February 18, 2022

Bantamweight Championship[]

126 to 135 lb (57 to 61 kg)

No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Russia Umar Nurmagomedov
def. Fatkhidin Sobirov 		Battle on Volga 4
Samara, Russia 		May 11, 2018

1. def. Wagner Lima at Battle on Volga 10 on April 14, 2019
2. def. Taras Grytskiv at GFC 14 on July 13, 2019
3. def. Braian Gonzalez at GFC 20 on November 23, 2019

Title was vacated when Nurmagomedov signed with the UFC
2 Russia Mansur Malachiev
def. Ruslan Sariev 		EFC 33
Moscow, Russia 		February 09, 2021
Title was vacated on March 2021 when Malachiev moved down to Flyweight
Current Russia Renat Khavalov
def. Sharapudin Magomedov 		EFC 34
Krasnodar, Russia 		March 19, 2021 1. def. Patrizio de Souza at EFC 42 on October 17, 2021

Flyweight Championship[]

116 to 125 lb (53 to 57 kg)

No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Russia Ali Bagautinov
def. Denis Araujo 		Battle on Volga 6
Samara, Russia 		September 23, 2018
Bagautinov vacated the title when he signed for the Fight Nights Global.
2 Russia Tagir Ulanbekov
def. Aleksandr Podlesniy 		GFC 11
Penza, Russia 		May 03, 2019

1. def. Denis Araujo at GFC 17 on September 27, 2019
2. def. Denilson Matos at GFC 22 on December 13, 2019

Ulanbekov vacated the title when he signed for the UFC.
Current Russia Mansur Malachiev
def. Rashid Vagabov 		EFC 38
Issyk Kul, Kyrgyzstan 		August 03, 2021

Women's divisions (defunct)[]

Women's Bantamweight Championship[]

126 pounds (57 kg) to 135 pounds (61 kg)

No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Poland Marta Waliczek
def. Karina Vasilenko 		Battle on Volga 4
Samara, Russia 		May 11, 2018

1. def. Zaira Dyshekova at Battle on Volga 10 on April 14, 2019

Federation of MMA of Samara becomes GFC. The title was subsequently deactivated

Women's Flyweight Championship[]

116 pounds (53 kg) to 125 pounds (57 kg)

No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Uzbekistan Liliya Shakirova
def. Aygul Kuzu Abduvakhid 		GFC 18
Samara, Russia 		October 06, 2019
GFC becomes EFC. The title was subsequently deactivated

Notable athletes and alumni[]

Reference[]

  1. ^ "Nurmagomedov's Eagle FC to land in U.S. in 2022". ESPN.com. 2021-11-29. Retrieved 2021-12-16.
  2. ^ Mckeever, Lewis (December 4, 2020). "Khabib launches Eagle Fighting Championships, hopes to strike deal with UFC". Bloody Elbow. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  3. ^ Ellis, Jordan. "REPORT | Khabib Nurmagomedov Buys Fight Promotion For $1 Million". Retrieved 2021-12-15.
  4. ^ "Нурмагомедов объяснил, зачем купил промоушен GFC за $ 1 млн". championat. 2 December 2020.
  5. ^ "Khabib Nurmagomedov bringing his Eagle FC promotion to Miami in January". MMA Junkie. 2021-11-29. Retrieved 2021-12-15.
  6. ^ "Spong-Silva headlines Eagle FC's debut in U.S." ESPN.com. 2021-12-06. Retrieved 2021-12-15.
  7. ^ Martin, Damon (2022-01-28). "Eagle FC 44 results: Rashad Evans makes successful return from retirement with dominant win over Gabriel Checco". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  8. ^ MMA Mania
  9. ^ ESPN
  10. ^ Sherdog.com. "Eagle Fighting Championship Fights, Fight Cards, Videos, Pictures, Events and more". Sherdog. Retrieved 2021-12-17.
  11. ^ Martin, Damon (2021-12-15). "Former UFC fighter Kevin Lee signs with Khabib Nurmagomedov's Eagle FC". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2021-12-15.
  12. ^ Martin, Damon (2021-12-13). "Ex-UFC champ Renan Barao faces Horacio Gutierrez at Eagle FC 44 in January". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
  13. ^ "Rashad Evans to Return from retirement at Eagle FC 44". MMA Sucka. 2021-12-08. Retrieved 2021-12-17.
  14. ^ Cruz, Guilherme (2021-12-16). "'Bigfoot' Silva: 'I have no idea' why I'm out of Eagle FC main event; Eagle FC issues statement". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2021-12-17.
  15. ^ "Junior dos Santos books May 20 Eagle FC debut". ESPN.com. 2022-03-09. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  16. ^ Sherdog.com. "Ray". Sherdog. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  17. ^ "Umar Nurmagomedov | MMA Fighter Page". Tapology. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  18. ^ "Bellator MMA". www.bellator.com. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  19. ^ "Usman Nurmagomedov | MMA Fighter Page". Tapology. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
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