Absolute Championship Akhmat

Absolute Championship Akhmat (ACA), formerly known as Absolute Championship Berkut (ACB), is a Russian mixed martial arts, kickboxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu organization and one of the leading promotions in Europe.[1] To date, most events have been hosted in Grozny, Russia. ACA has also held events in other Russian cities, as well as in Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Scotland, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

Absolute Championship Akhmat
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2024 in Absolute Championship Akhmat
SportMixed martial arts
Founded2014; 10 years ago (2014)
FounderMairbek Khasiev
CountryRussia
HeadquartersGrozny, Chechnya
Official websitewww.aca-mma.com/en

History

Absolute Championship Berkut

ACB was founded by Mairbek Khasiev, a citizen of Chechnya. In 2009, he founded the Berkut Fight Club in Grozny which helped young fighters get the opportunity to compete at the highest level.

Several fighters who were successful in ACB have gone on to sign with more well known promotions such as the UFC. ACB had its own fight team, the Fight Club Berkut, which consisted of some of the promotion's fighters, such as Beslan Isaev, Magomed Bibulatov, Musa Khamanaev and Aslambek Saidov. ACB co-operated with other promotions in Europe by exchanging fighters, for example KSW and The Cage. ACB ran the majority of its shows live on a variety of TV networks (Match TV, Polsat Sport) throughout Europe. The promotion ran its shows live internationally on its Facebook page.

International Expansion

The 2017 campaign featured 27 events spanning across thirteen countries, including the United States, Austria, Poland, England, Tajikistan, Belarus, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Canada, Brazil, Germany, Australia and Russia.

TECH-Krep FC purchase

On September 12, 2018, Mairbek Khasiev revealed that Absolute Championship Berkut had purchased TECH-Krep FC.[2] Khasiev went on to explain that TECH-Krep FC would cease operation and cancel their October 26 event, and that former Tech-Krep FC head Alexey Yatsenko would become the president of ACB.

WFCA acquisition and integration

On November 28, 2018, the Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov announced that the Absolute Championship Berkut (ACB) and the World Fighting Championship Akhmat (WFCA) would merge to form a single promotion.[3]

US Sanctions

On December 20, 2020, the U.S. Department of Treasury announced sanctions against ACA and Akhmat MMA due to their ownership by Kadyrov. Due to this, no American citizen or company can do business with them, meaning all American fighters could face fines or jail time if they fight for the organization.[4] Brett Cooper was the first fighter to pull out of his fight at ACA 116: Froes vs Balaev due to the sanctions.[5]

Roster

List of events

Current champions

Mixed martial arts

DivisionChampionSinceDefenses
Heavyweight Evgeniy GoncharovMarch 17, 20231
Light HeavyweightVacant
Middleweight Magomedrasul GasanovApril 9, 20214
Welterweight Albert TumenovDecember 24, 20230
Lightweight Abdul-Aziz AbdulvakhabovSeptember 19, 20202
Featherweight Islam OmarovJuly 21, 20231
Bantamweight Pavel VitrukApril 19, 20240
Flyweight Kurban GadzhievFebruary 25, 20230

Rankings

The rankings for the ACA's fighters are both recorded and updated when information has been obtained from the ACA's website.[6]

  • Updated as of May 25, 2024.
ACA Rankings
RankHeavyweightLight HeavyweightMiddleweightWelterweight
C Evgeniy Goncharov Magomedrasul Gasanov Albert Tumenov
1 Alikhan Vakhaev Muslim Magomedov Salamu Abdurahmanov Ustarmagomed Gadzhidaudov
2 Mukhumat Vakhaev Grigor Matevosyan Shamil Abdulaev Abubakar Vagaev
3 Adam Bogatyrev Adlan Ibragimov Abdul-Rahman Dzhanaev Chersi Dudaev
4 Kirill Kornilov Leonardo Silva Artem Frolov Anatoliy Boyko
5 Anton Vyazigin Faridun Odilov Ibragim Magomedov Uzair Abdurakov
6 Tony Johnson Jr. Mikhail Mokhnatkin Vitaly Nemchinov Andrei Koshkin
7 Ruslan Medzhidov Elmar Gasanov Murad Abdulaev Khuseyn Khaliev
8 Salimgirey Rasulov Ruslan Gabaraevv Mikhail Dolgov Elias Silvério
9 Carlos Felipe 1 Murat Gugov Husein Kushagov Ruslan Kolodko
10 Pouya Rahmani Caio Bittencourt Nikola Dipchikov Altynbek Mamashov
RankLightweightFeatherweightBantamweightFlyweight
C Abdul-Aziz Abdulvakhabov Islam Omarov Pavel Vitruk Kurban Gadzhiev
1 Daud Shakhaev Alihan Suleimanov Oleg Borisov Imran Bukuev
2 Mukhamed Kokov Bibert Tumenov Magomed Bibulatov Azam Gaforov
3 Ali Bagov Apti Bimarzaev Rustam Kerimov Azamat Kerefov
4 Yusuf Raisov Alexey Polpudnikov Akhmed Musakaev Azamat Pshukov
5 Artem Reznikov Kurban Taygibov Mehdi Baidulaev Aren Akopyan
6 Herdeson Batista Felipe Froes Maharbek Karginov Rasul Albaskhanov
7 Alexander Matmuratov Gleb Khabibulin Josiel Silva Yunus Evloev
8 Amirkhan Adaev Carlos Augusto Aleksandr Podlesniy Askar Askarov
9 Davi Ramos Davlatmand Chuponov Alimardan Abdykaarov Alan Gomes De Castro
10 Vener Galiev Abdul-Rakhman Dudaev Renat Ondar Anatoliy Kondratiev

Championship history

Mixed martial arts

Heavyweight Championship

over 93 kg (over 205 lb)
No.NameEventDateReign
(total)
Defenses
1 Zelimkhan Umiev
def. Israfil Makhashev
ACB 9
Grozny, Russia
Jun 22, 2014594 days
2 Salimgerey RasulovACB 29
Warsaw, Poland
Feb 6, 2016244 days
3 Denis GoltsovACB 50
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Dec 18, 2016244 days
4 Mukhomad VakhaevACB 67
Grozny, Russia
Aug 19, 2017742 days1. def. Sergey Bilostenniy at ACB 90 on Nov 10, 2018
ACB and WFCA merged on November 28, 2018 to become ACA.
Evgeniy Goncharov and Tony Johnson Jr. fought to a no contest at ACA 96, leaving the belt vacated.[7]
5 Evgeniy Goncharov
def. Tony Johnson Jr.
ACA 97
Krasnodar, Russia
Aug 31, 2019174 days
6 Mukhamad VakhaevACA 104
Krasnodar, Russia
Feb 21, 2020? days
Mukhamad Vakhaev vacated the title in March 2020 when he chose to test the free agency after the end of his contract with ACA.
7 Tony Johnson Jr.
def. Daniel Omielańczuk
ACA 114
Łódź, Poland
Nov 26, 2020485 days1. def. Dmitry Poberezhets at ACA 121 on Apr 23, 2021
2. def. Mukhumat Vakhaev at ACA 132 on Nov 19, 2021
8 Salimgerey RasulovACA 138
Grozny, Russia
Mar 26, 2022154 days
9 Alikhan VakhaevACA 143
Krasnodar, Russia
Aug 27, 2022202 days
10 Evgeniy Goncharov (2)ACA 154
Krasnodar, Russia
Mar 17, 2023476 days
(incumbent)
1. def. Anton Vyazigin at ACA 170 on Feb 9, 2024

Light Heavyweight Championship

93 kg (205 lb)
No.NameEventDateReign
(total)
Defenses
1 Gadzhimurad Antigulov
def. Ruslan Khaskhanov
ACB 9
Grozny, Russia
Jun 22, 2014? days1. def. Muslim Makhmudov at ACB 35 on May 6, 2016
Antigulov vacated the title when he signed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
2 Thiago Silva
def. Jared Ferguson
ACB 51
Irvine, California, U.S.
Jan 13, 2017190 days
3 Batraz AgnaevACB 65
Sheffield, England
Jul 22, 2017287 days
4 Dovletdzhan YagshimuradovACB 86
Moscow, Russia
May 5, 2018207 days
ACB and WFCA merged on November 28, 2018 to become ACA.
5 Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov
def. Karol Celinski
ACA 92
Warsaw, Poland
Feb 16, 2019675 days1. def. Alexey Butorin at ACA 103 on Dec 14, 2019
Yagshimuradov vacated the title on December 22, 2020 when he signed for Bellator MMA.[8]
6 Muslim Magomedov
def. Evgeny Egemberdiev
ACA 126
Sochi, Russia
Jul 16, 20211085 days
(incumbent)
1. def. Grigor Matevosyan at ACA 137 on Mar 6, 2022
2. def. Oleg Olenichev at ACA 148 on Nov 18, 2022

Middleweight Championship

84 kg (185 lb)
No.NameEventDateReign
(total)
Defenses
1 Anatoly Tokov
def. Arbi Aguev
ACB 38
Rostov-on-Don, Russia
May 20, 2016
Tokov vacated the title on October 1, 2016 when he signed for M-1 Global due to a contract dispute.[9]
2 Albert Duraev
def. Vyacheslav Vasilevsky
ACB 77
Moscow, Russia
Dec 23, 2017? days

1. def. Piotr Strus at ACB 89 on Sept. 8, 2018

ACB and WFCA merged on November 28, 2018 to become ACA.
3 Salamu Abdurakhmanov
def. Brett Cooper
ACA 95
Moscow, Russia
Apr 27, 2019? days1. def. Valery Myasnikov at ACA 102 on Nov 29, 2019
Magomedrasul Gasanov
def. Nikola Dipchikov
ACA 121
Minsk, Belarus
Apr 9, 2021
Abdurakhmanov vacated the title due to health reasons
4 Magomedrasul Gasanov
promoted to undisputed champion
ACA 121
Minsk, Belarus
Apr 9, 20211183 days
(incumbent)

1. def. Abdul-Rakhman Dzhanaev at ACA 135 on Jan 28, 2022
2. def. Artem Frolov at ACA 143 on Aug 27, 2022
3. def. Salamu Abdurakhmanov at ACA 161 on Aug 11, 2023

4. def. Ibragim Magomedov at ACA 171 on Feb 25, 2024

Welterweight Championship

77 kg (170 lb)
No.NameEventDateReign
(total)
Defenses
1 Albert Duraev
def. Ustarmagomed Gadzhidaudov
ACB 22
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Sep 12, 2015? days

1. def. Michail Tsarev at ACB 35 on May 6, 2016

Duraev was stripped of the title due to him missing weight and his eventual move up to Middleweight.
2 Brett Cooper
def. Aslambek Saidov
ACB 50
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Dec 18, 2016244 days
3 Mukhamed BerkhamovACB 67
Grozny, Russia
Aug 19, 2017? days
Berkhamov was stripped of the title after his refusal to accept 3 title defense match ups.
4 Albert Tumenov
def. Ciro Rodrigues
ACB 89
Krasnodar, Russia
Sep 8, 201881 days
ACB and WFCA merged on November 28, 2018 to become ACA.
5 Albert Tumenov
def. Murad Abdulaev
ACA 95
Moscow, Russia
Apr 27, 2019216 days1. def. Beslan Ushukov at ACA 102 on Nov 29, 2019
Tumenov vacated the title in November 2019 when he chose to test the free agency after the end of his contract with ACA.
6 Murad Abdulaev
def. Ali Bagov
ACA 110
Moscow, Russia
Sep 5, 2020174 days
7 Abubakar VagaevACA 118
Moscow, Russia
Feb 26, 2021658 days
8 Vitaly SlipenkoACA 149
Moscow, Russia
Dec 16, 2022217 days
9 Ustarmagomed GadzhidaudovACA 160
Moscow, Russia
Jul 21, 2023156 days
10 Albert Tumenov (2)ACA 168
Moscow, Russia
December 24, 2023194 days
(incumbent)

Lightweight Championship

70 kg (155 lb)
No.NameEventDateReign
(total)
Defenses
1 Abdul-Aziz Abdulvakhabov
def. Ali Bagov
ACB 9
Grozny, Russia
Jun 22, 20141539 days

1. def. Eduard Vartanyan at ACB 32 on Mar 26, 2016
2. def. Ali Bagov at ACB 48 on Oct 22, 2016
3. def. interim champion Eduard Vartanyan at ACB 77 on Dec 23, 2017

Eduard Vartanyan
def. Andrey Koshkin for interim title
ACB 71
Moscow, Russia
Sep 30, 2017
2 Ali BagovACB 89
Krasnodar, Russia
Sep 8, 201881 days
ACB and WFCA merged on November 28, 2018 to become ACA.
3 Ali Bagov
def. Khuseyn Khaliev
ACA 99
Moscow, Russia
Sep 27, 2019? days
Title vacated after Bagov moved up to welterweight.
4 Abdul-Aziz Abdulvakhabov (2)
def. Alexander Sarnavskiy
ACA 111
Moscow, Russia
Sep 19, 20201385 days
(incumbent)

1. def. Hacran Dias at ACA 131 on Nov 5, 2021
2. def. interim champion Mukhamed Kokov at ACA 164 on Oct 4, 2023

Mukhamed Kokov
def. Hacran Dias for interim title
ACA 154
Krasnodar, Russia
Mar 17, 2023

Featherweight Championship

66 kg (145 lb)
No.NameEventDateReign
(total)
Defenses
1 Zabit Magomedsharipov
def. Sheikh-Magomed Arapkhanov
ACB 31
Grozny, Russia
Mar 29, 2016137 days1. def. Valdines Silva at ACB 45 on September 17, 2016
Magomedsharipov vacated the title on May 4, 2017 when he signed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
2 Marat Balayev
def. Yusuf Raisov
ACB 50
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Dec 18, 2016503 days1. def. Adlan Bataev at ACB 61 on May 20, 2017
Yusuf Raisov
def. Alexander Peduson
ACB 77
Moscow, Russia
Dec 23, 2017
3 Yusuf RaisovACB 86
Moscow, Russia
May 5, 2018207 days
ACB and WFCA merged on November 28, 2018 to become ACA.
4 Salman Zhamaldaev
def. Marat Balaev
ACA 93
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Mar 16, 2019202 days
5 Felipe FroesACA 100
Grozny, Russia
Oct 4, 2019539 days
Froes was stripped of the title on March 26, 2021 after failing to make weight for his title defense against Magomedrasul Khasbulaev at ACA 120.
6 Magomedrasul Khasbulaev
def. Felipe Froes
ACA 120
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Mar 26, 2021? days

1. def. Ramazan Kishev at ACA 131 on Nov 5, 2021

Alikhan Suleymanov
def. Felipe Froes
AC1 141
Sochi, Russia
Jul 22, 2022
Khasbulaev was stripped of the title after he pulled out of three bouts against Suleymanov. Suleymanov was subsequently promoted to undisputed champion.
7 Alikhan Suleymanov
def. Felipe Froes
ACA 141
Sochi, Russia
Jul 22, 2022364 days
8 Islam OmarovACA 160
Moscow, Russia
Jul 21, 2023350 days
(incumbent)
1. def. Alexey Polpudnikov at ACA 171 on Feb 25, 2024

Bantamweight Championship

61 kg (135 lb)
No.NameEventDateReign
(total)
Defense
1 Magomed Magomedov
def. Petr Yan
ACB 32
Moscow, Russia
Mar 26, 2016385 days1. def. Oleg Borisov at ACB 50 on Dec 18, 2016
2 Petr YanACB 57
Moscow, Russia
Apr 15, 2017290 days1. def. Matheus Mattos at ACB 71 on Sep 30, 2017
Yan vacated the title on January 30, 2018 when he signed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
3 Rustam Kerimov
def. Oleg Borisov
ACB 83
Baku, Azerbaijan
Mar 24, 2018249 days
ACB and WFCA merged on November 28, 2018 to become ACA.
4 Rustam Kerimov
def. Abdul-Rakhman Dudaev
ACA 93
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Mar 16, 2019? days

1. def. Francisco Maciel at ACA 103 on Dec 14, 2019

Kerimov vacated the title in December 2019 when he chose to test the free agency after the end of his contract with ACA.
5 Daniel Oliveira
def. Shamil Shakhbulatov
ACA 105
Almaty, Kazakhstan
Mar 6, 2020385 days1. def. Abdul-Rakhman Dudaev at ACA 112 on Oct 4, 2020
6 Magomed BibulatovACA 120
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Mar 26, 2021365 days
7 Oleg BorisovACA 138
Grozny, Russia
Mar 26, 2022755 days1. def. Rustam Kerimov at ACA 154 on Mar 17, 2023
8 Pavel VitrukACA 174
Saint Petersburg, Russia
April 19, 202477 days
(incumbent)

Flyweight Championship

57 kg (125 lb)
No.NameEventDateReign
(total)
Defense
1 Askar Askarov
def. José Maria Tomé
ACB 48
Moscow, Russia
Oct 22, 2016767 days1. def. Anthony Leone at ACB 58 on Apr 22, 2017
2. def. Rasul Albaskhanov at ACB 86 on May 5, 2018
ACB and WFCA merged on November 28, 2018 to become ACA.
2 Yunus Evloev
def. Josiel Silva
ACA 95
Moscow, Russia
Apr 27, 2019? days1. def. Azam Gaforov at ACA 99 on Sep 27, 2019
Evloev vacated the title in December 2019 for health reasons.
3 Azamat Kerefov
def. Mansur Khatuev
ACA 104
Krasnodar, Russia
Feb 21, 2020597 days

1. def. Kurban Gadzhiev at ACA 113 on Nov 6, 2020
2. def. Rasul Albaskhanov at ACB 127 on Aug 28, 2021

Kerefov vacated the title on October 10, 2021 when he chose to test the free agency.
4 Imran Bukuev
def. Aren Akopyan
ACA 136
Moscow, Russia
Feb 26, 2022364 days
5 Kurban GadzhievACA 152
Grozny, Russia
Feb 25, 2023496 days
(incumbent)

Kickboxing

Heavyweight Championship

120 kg (265 lb)
No.NameEventDateDefenses
Current Tsotne RogavaACB KB 15
Moscow, Russia
April 20, 2018
1 Jhonata Diniz
def. Kirk Krouba
ACB KB 6
Brussels, Belgium
June 5, 2016

Middleweight Championship

84 kg (185 lb)
No.NameEventDateDefenses
Current Artem Levin
def. Igor Bugaenko
ACB KB 15
Moscow, Russia
April 20, 2018

Welterweight Championship

77 kg (170 lb)
No.NameEventDateDefenses
Current Perviz Abdullayev
def. Islam Baibatyrov
ACB KB 15
Moscow, Russia
April 20, 2018

Brazilian jiu-jitsu

GI Heavyweight Championship

120 kg (265 lb)
No.NameEventDateDefenses
Current Marcus AlmeidaACB JJ 13
Long Beach, United States
May 5, 2018
2 João Gabriel RochaACB JJ 10
São Paulo, Brazil
January 26, 2018
1 Luiz Panza
def. Alexander Trans
ACB JJ 5
Warsaw, Poland
June 22, 2014

GI Light Heavyweight Championship

95 kg (209 lb)
No.NameEventDateDefenses
Current Felipe Pena
def. Adam Wardziński
ACB JJ 12
Almaty, Kazakhstan
April 14, 2018

GI Middleweight Championship

85 kg (187 lb)
No.NameEventDateDefenses
Current Leandro Lo
def. Gabriel Arges
ACB JJ 13
Long Beach, United States
May 5, 2018

GI Welterweight Championship

75 kg (165 lb)
No.NameEventDateDefenses
Current Lucas LepriACB JJ 14
Moscow, Russia
June 30, 2018
1 Davi Ramos
def. Edwin Najmi
ACB JJ 11
Badalona, Spain
March 3, 2018

GI Lightweight Championship

65 kg (143 lbs)
No.NameEventDateDefenses
Current Paulo Miyao
def. Augusto Mendes
ACB JJ 10
São Paulo, Brazil
January 26, 2018

1. def. Osvaldo Moizinho at ACB JJ 12 on April 14, 2018 in Almaty, Kazakhstan

GI Featherweight Championship

60 kg (132 lbs)
No.NameEventDateDefenses
Current João Miyao
def. Samir Chantre
ACB JJ 12
Almaty, Kazakhstan
April 14, 2018

1. def. Ary Farias at ACB JJ 14 on June 30, 2018 in Moscow, Russia

Grand Prix champions

EventDateDivisionWinnerRunner-up
ACB 22Sep 12, 2015Lightweight Ali Bagov Eduard Vartanyan
Welterweight Albert Duraev Ustarmagomed Gadzhidaudov
ACB 24Oct 24, 2015Light Heavyweight Muslim Makhmudov Husein Kushagov
Bantamweight Petr Yan Murad Kalamov
Heavyweight Salimgerey Rasulov Michał Andryszak
Featherweight Zabit Magomedsharipov Abdul-Rakhman Temirov
ACB 26Nov 28, 2015Flyweight Velimurad Alkhasov Ruslan Abiltarov
ACB 38May 20, 2016Middleweight Anatoly Tokov Arbi Aguev
ACA 159Jun 16, 2023Lightweight Eduard Vartanyan Artem Reznikov
ACA 178Aug 10, 2024Heavyweight

Notable fighters

Mixed martial arts

Kickboxing

Brazilian jiu-jitsu

See also

Notes

References