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Omari
Akhmedov probably sees seven figures whenever his head hits the
pillow and he closes his eyes.
The powerfully built 35-year-old Russian samboist will take on
Rob
Wilkinson in the
Professional Fighters League light heavyweight final as part of
the
2022 PFL Championships on Friday at Madison Square Garden’s
Hulu Theater in New York. The man who emerges with his hand raised
receives a life-changing $1 million prize. Akhmedov steps into the
cage with the wind of a three-fight winning streak at his back. An
experienced and well-versed mixed martial artist, he has delivered
15 of his 24 professional victories by knockout, technical knockout
or submission—13 of them inside one round.
As Akhmedov pores over the remaining details associated with his
forthcoming battle at 205 pounds, a look at five of the many
moments that have come to define him:
1. Quieting the Natives
Akhmedov marched into hostile territory and made a successful
Ultimate Fighting Championship debut when he punched out
Thiago
de Oliveira Perpetuo in the first round of their UFC Fight
Night 32 middleweight prelim on Nov. 9, 2013 at Goiania Arena in
Goiania, Brazil. Perpetuo succumbed to blows 3:31 into Round 1. An
incidental clash of heads had Akhmedov reeling early on, but the
sambo practitioner weathered the subsequent swarm and somehow
recovered. Perpetuo later staggered the Octagon newcomer with a
short right hand, only to have Akhmedov answer with a takedown
before transitioning to the Brazilian’s back in search of a
rear-naked choke. The two middleweights ultimately returned to
their feet, where they continued to exchange pleasantries. Perpetuo
stunned his counterpart again and sent him into a backpedal, but he
grew overzealous in his pursuit of the finish. Akhmedov responded
with a quick right hook that brought “The Ultimate Fighter Brazil”
Season 1 semifinalist to his knees and followed it with a ringing
right uppercut that sealed the deal.
2. Icelandic Necktie
Gunnar
Nelson moved to 12-0-1 and used Akhmedov as a steppingstone
when he disposed of the Russian sambo stylist with a guillotine
choke in the first round of their UFC Fight Night 37 welterweight
showcase on March 8, 2014 at the O2 Arena in London. Nelson drew
the curtain 4:36 into Round 1. Akhmedov was never a factor in what
amounted to a lost opportunity. Nelson drove him to the canvas
behind a stiff straight left, moved immediately to mount and tore
into him with a series of wicked elbows. Akhmedov was virtually
defenseless. Nelson, a
Renzo
Gracie-trained Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, snatched the
guillotine during an ensuing scramble and forced the tapout. The
setback was Akhmedov’s first in more than three years and closed
the book on his career-best 11-fight winning streak.
3. Sin City Stalemate
Former Venator Fighting Championship titleholder
Marvin
Vettori settled for a majority draw with Akhmedov as part of
the UFC 219 undercard on Dec. 30, 2017 at T-Mobile Arena in Las
Vegas. Judges Sal D’Amato and Tony Weeks struck matching 28-28
scorecards, while Glenn Trowbridge saw it 29-28 for Vettori.
Neither man was satisfied with the outcome. Akhmedov raced out to
an early advantage by ripping kicks to the inside of the Italian’s
lead leg and firing off winging punches from both hands. However,
his high-velocity strikes failed to produce a finish and taxed his
gas tank. Vettori capitalized on his fatiguing opponent in the
second half of the fight and did his best work in the third round,
where he lit up the
American Top Team representative with a multi-punch volley, a
jumping knee and swarming punches before stunning him later with a
slashing straight left.
4. Running on Empty
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight titleholder
Chris
Weidman returned to the winner’s circle for the first time in
more than three years when he laid claim to a unanimous decision
over Akhmedov in their grueling UFC Fight Night 174 co-main event
on Aug. 8, 2020 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Scores were 29-27,
29-27 and 29-28. Akhmedov swung for the fences with sweeping
punches and appeared to seize control in the second round, where
the “All-American” grew visibly fatigued and conceded multiple
takedowns. However, Weidman found the gas necessary to forge ahead
in Round 3, as he tripped the American Top Team rep to the floor,
advanced to the back and eventually achieved full mount under
threat of an arm-triangle choke. While the submission did not
materialize, he maintained positional dominance, dropped elbows and
crossed the finish line in front of Akhmedov.
5. Strained Allegiance
Akhmedov leaned on experience, guile and well-rounded skills in
taking a unanimous decision from American Top Team stablemate
Joshua
Silveira, as their Professional Fighters League light
heavyweight semifinal served as the PFL 7 co-feature on Aug. 5,
2022 at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater in New York. Scores
were 30-27, 29-28 and 30-27. A short-notice substation for
Antonio
Carlos Jr., the previously unbeaten Silveira failed to
establish a consistent rhythm. He executed takedowns in the first
and third rounds, but the former two-division
Legacy Fighting Alliance titleholder was otherwise ineffective.
Akhmedov cut off his advances with counter right hands, low kicks
and combination punching to the head and body, advancing to the $1
million final at 205 pounds.