Sultan Aliev

Background

Sultan Aliev was born in Kaspiysk, Dagestan, Soviet Union. He is a Russian of Avar descent and a devout Sunni Muslim. He started in Combat Sambo at 23 years old, in 2009 he won Combat Sambo European Championship in Milan, Italy. In 2010 he received the rank "International Master of Sports in Combat Sambo" After Russian Combat Sambo Nationals 2011 (3rd) and 2012 (2nd), he made his professional MMA debut in ProFC and won his first professional fight against Sergey Guzev.

Sambo career

On February 5, 2012, Aliev lost to Vyacheslav Vasilevsky in Combat Sambo Russia Championship 2012 Finale (-90 kg) via decision (1–5).

On February 24, 2014, Aliev won against Vasilevsky in Combat Sambo Russia Championship 2014 Finale (-90 kg) via TKO.

On 24 November 2014 Aliev became World Combat Sambo Champion (-90 kg). In the finale match he defeated French Sebastian Libebe via TKO.

In Russian Nationals 2016 he lost to Khadis Ibragimov by knockout in the semifinal.

Mixed martial arts career

ProFC

Aliev started his MMA career in ProFC in April 2011. He defeated Sergey Guzev on April 9, 2011, at ProFC 14 via unanimous decision.

Aliev defeated Armenian MMA prospect Hracho Darpinyan on July 2, 2011, at ProFC: Union Nation Cup Final via unanimous decision.

Aliev defeated Fuad Gadyrov on September 26, 2011, at ProFC: Grand Prix Global. He won via KO in the second round.

Aliev defeated taekwondo black belt Marcin Elsner on December 10, 2011, at ProFC: Grand Prix Global Finals. He won via TKO in the first round.

Bellator MMA

In 2013, Aliev was announced as one of the participants of the Bellator Season 8 Middleweight tournament.

Aliev debuted on February 14, 2013, at Bellator 89 where he faced Mikkel Parlo in the quarterfinal round. Aliev won the fight via unanimous decision to advance to the semifinals.

In the semifinals, Aliev faced Doug Marshall on March 7, 2013, at Bellator 92. Despite controlling the fight via his wrestling, Aliev lost via split decision, resulting in his first professional MMA loss.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

On May 7, 2014, it was announced that Aliev had signed a contract with the UFC.

Aliev made his promotional debut against Kenny Robertson in a welterweight bout on January 24, 2015, at UFC on Fox 14. He lost the fight via knockout in the first round.

Aliev was expected to face Hyun Gyu Lim on August 20, 2016, at UFC 202. However, Aliev pulled out of the fight in early August citing a wrist injury and was replaced by promotional newcomer Mike Perry.

Aliev faced Bojan Veličković on December 17, 2016, at UFC on Fox 22. He won the fight via split decision.

Aliev was expected to face Nordine Taleb on 16 December 2017 at UFC on FOX 26. However, Aliev was removed from the card in early December due to alleged visa issues restricting his ability to travel and was replaced by Danny Roberts.

Aliev faced Warlley Alves on May 12, 2018, at UFC 224. He lost the fight via TKO due to a doctor stoppage at the end of the second round.

Aliev was expected to face Lyman Good on November 3, 2018, at UFC 230. However, it was reported on October 19, 2018, that Aliev pulled out from the event citing injury and he was replaced by Ben Saunders.

Aliev was expected to face Emil Weber Meek on April 20, 2019, at UFC Fight Night 149. However, on March 3, 2019, it was announced that Meek withdrew from the bout due to undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Keita Nakamura. Aliev won the fight via unanimous decision. Following the bout, Aliev announced his retirement from mixed martial arts competition.

Championships and accomplishments

Sambo

• Federation Internationale de Sambo (FIAS)
  • World Combat Sambo Championships (2014, Chiba)
• World Combat Sambo Federation
  • European Combat Sambo Championships (2012, Moscow)
• All-Russian Sambo Federation
  • Russian Combat Sambo National Championships 3rd (2010, 2011)
  • Russian Combat Sambo National Championships runner-up (2012)
  • Russian Combat Sambo National Champion (2014, World team-trials)
• Fight Matrix
  • 2011 Male Rookie of the Year

Mixed martial arts record

|ko-wins=10 |ko-losses=2 |sub-wins= |sub-losses= |dec-wins=5

| |Saint Petersburg, Russia | |- |Loss |Warlley Alves |TKO (doctor stoppage) |UFC 224 | |Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |- |Win |Bojan Veličković |Decision (split) |UFC on Fox: VanZant vs. Waterson | |Sacramento, California, United States | |- |Loss |Kenny Robertson |KO (punches) |UFC on Fox: Gustafsson vs. Johnson | |Stockholm, Sweden

| |Makhachkala, Russia | |- |Win |Ruslan Khaskhanov |TKO (punches) |Fight Nights: Battle on Terek | |Grozny, Russia | |- |Win |Kleber Bagunça |KO (punch) |World Ultimate Full Contact 2013 | |Lamego, Portugal | |- |Win |Viktor Kiyko |TKO (punches) |World Ultimate Full Contact 2013 | |Lamego, Portugal | |- |Loss |Doug Marshall |Decision (split) |Bellator 92 | |Temecula, California, United States

| |Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

| |Makhachkala, Russia | |- |Win |Alexei Varagushin |TKO (punches) |WH: Igor Vovchanchyn Cup | |Kharkiv, Ukraine | |- |Win |Vladimir Fedin |TKO (punches) |WH: Igor Vovchanchyn Cup | |Kharkiv, Ukraine | |- |Win |Luis Henrique |TKO (punches) |Revolution FC 1: Beirut | |Beirut, Lebanon | |- |Win |Marcin Elsner |TKO (punches) |ProFC: Grand Prix Global Finals | |Rostov-on-Don, Russia

| |Derbent, Russia | |- |Win |Hracho Darpinyan |Decision (unanimous) |ProFC: Union Nation Cup Final | |Rostov-on-Don, Russia | |- |Win |Sergey Guzev |Decision (unanimous) |ProFC: Union Nation Cup 14 | |Rostov-on-Don, Russia |

References

References

1. "Sultan Aliev". sherdog.com.
2. "Sultan Aliev - Official UFC Fighter Profile". [[Ultimate Fighting Championship.
3. "Aliev is International Master of Sports". docs.pravo.ru.
4. "Aliev lost to sambo world champion". sambo.tv.
5. "Aliev won rematch to Vasilevsky". ulanmedia.ru.
6. "Aliev won World Sambo Championships again". riadagestan.ru.
7. "Aliev lost again". sambo.ru.
8. "Aliev vs. Guzev". profc.ws.
9. "Bellator MMA - Bellator 89".
10. "Bellator 92 - Middleweight - Main Card - March 7, 2013".
11. (6 March 2013). "Khasbulaev advances to finals".
12. "Newcomer from Russia in UFC". mmaboxing.ru.
13. Staff. (2014-11-14). "Kenny Robertson meets newcomer Sultan Aliev at UFC on FOX 14 in Sweden". mmajunkie.com.
14. (24 January 2015). "UFC on FOX 14 results: Kenny Robertson makes Sultan Aliev pay for spinning kick".
15. Staff. (2016-06-22). "Sultan Aliev vs. Hyun Gyu Lim set for UFC 202". mmajunkie.com.
16. Staff. (2016-08-03). "Sultan Aliev injured, out of UFC 202 bout with Hyun Gyu Lim". mmajunkie.com.
17. Staff. (2016-08-04). "Mike Perry Replaces Aliev at UFC 202". fightsports.tv.
18. Staff. (2016-10-18). "Two fights added to UFC on FOX 22".
19. Brent Brookhouse. (2016-12-17). "UFC on FOX 22 results: Sultan Aliev's top game leads to split decision over Bojan Velickovic".
20. (14 September 2018). "Former Champs Collide as UFC Returns to Winnipeg".
21. Peter Carroll. (2017-12-04). "Several changes announced for UFC on FOX 26".
22. Staff. (2018-03-20). "Warlley Alves set to meet Sultan Aliev at UFC 224 in Rio de Janeiro". mmajunkie.com.
23. (2018-05-12). "UFC 224 results: Warlley Alves outstrikes Sultan Aliev, doctor waves off fight after two". MMAjunkie.
24. Mark LaMonica. (2018-08-02). "NYC's Lyman Good to face Sultan Aliev in UFC 230 at Madison Square Garden". newsday.com.
25. DNA, MMA. (2018-10-20). "Ben Saunders pakt short notice partij tegen Lyman Good tijdens UFC 230 in New York". MMA DNA.
26. Staf. (2019-02-22). "Emil Meek returns vs. Sultan Aliev at UFC Russia". mmaviking.com.
27. eixeira, Dario Ferrari Rocha T. "Emil Meek out, Sultan Aliev now faces Keita Nakamura at UFC St Petersburg".
28. DNA, MMA. (2 March 2019). "Sultan Aliev vs. Keita Nakamura toegevoegd aan UFC St.Petersburg".
29. Doherty, Dan. (2019-04-20). "UFC St. Petersburg Results: Sultan Aliev Controls Keita Nakamura for Three Rounds".
30. Lee, Alexander. (2019-04-20). "Sultan Aliev announces retirement after UFC St. Petersburg win".
31. "MMA Awards".
32. Sherdog.com. "Sultan Aliev MMA Stats, Pictures, News, Videos, Biography - Sherdog.com".