Amir Aliakbari
Born
Amir Aziz Aliakbari[1]

(1987-12-11) 11 December 1987
Sarab County, Iran
Alma materIslamic Azad University of Eslamshahr[2]
Sports career
CountryIran
SportWrestling, Mixed martial arts
EventGreco-Roman
Martial arts career
Height6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight250 lb (113 kg; 17 st 12 lb)
Reach76 in (193 cm)
StyleWrestling
TeamAAA Team (present)
AKA Thailand (2014–present)[3]
WrestlingGreco-Roman Wrestling
Years active2005–2013; 2014–present
Mixed martial arts record
Total16
Wins13
By knockout10
By decision3
Losses3
By knockout3
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
Medal record
Men's Greco-Roman Wrestling
Representing  Iran
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2010 Moscow 96 kg
Disqualified 2013 Budapest 120 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Herning 96 kg
Asian Championships
Gold medal – first place 2009 Pattaya 96 kg
Universiade
Silver medal – second place 2013 Kazan 120 kg

Amir Aliakbari (Persian: امير على‌اكبرى, born 11 December 1987) is an Iranian wrestler and mixed martial artist currently signed to ONE Championship, where he competes in the Heavyweight division. He has also competed for Full Metal Dojo in Thailand Absolute Championship Berkut (ACB) and Rizin Fighting Federation.

Aliakbari is also a former gold medalist and world champion in Greco-Roman wrestling, winning gold medals at the 2010 World Wrestling Championships and 2009 Asian Wrestling Championships. International Wrestling Federation FILA (now United World Wrestling) banned Aliakbari from competing for life after a second doping offense.

Wrestling career

In 2007–2008, Aliakbari wrestled for Melli Haffari Company Ahvaz Sports Club of the Iranian Premier Wrestling League.[4]

Aliakbari missed the 2012 Summer Olympics due to a doping suspension.[1]

In the 2013 World Wrestling Championships, 120 kg he initially won a gold medal, making him a two-time world champion.[5] However, in December 2013, International Wrestling Federation, FILA banned Aliakbari for life after a second doping offence. He was stripped of his gold medal and Heiki Nabi was moved up to gold.[1]

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

In 2014, longtime MMA entrepreneur & Gambino associate, Michael Abul personally founded Aliakbari from his wrestling credentials and got him into MMA. Abul was also a Founding investor with Paradigm Sports, so Aliakbari signed a management agreement with Paradigm Sports.[6] At the same time, he signed on to train under UFC star Mike Swick of AKA Thailand in Phuket, Thailand, also training alongside UFC fighters Mark Hunt and Soa Palelei.[7] Aliakbari is the first world class Iranian wrestler to pursue an MMA career.[7]

Early MMA career

Aliakbari made his professional MMA debut in October 2015, defeating Hyung Chul-Lee via TKO in the first round. His second bout came two months later as he defeated Radu Spinghel via TKO in the first round.[8]

Rizin Fighting Federation

In early 2016, it was announced that Aliakbari had signed with the Japanese promotion Rizin Fighting Federation. He made his debut in September in the first round of the Openweight Grand Prix against Joao Isidoro Almeida. He won the fight via TKO in the first round. Aliakbari was scheduled to face former UFC champion Shane Carwin in the quarter-finals in December 2016. However, Carwin withdrew from the tournament and he instead faced Heath Herring. Aliakbari won the bout by unanimous decision. In the final stage of the tournament on December 31, Aliakbari faced Valentin Moldavsky. He won the fight via split decision.[9] He then faced Mirko Cro Cop in the finals on the same night and lost the fight via knockout.[10] He then defeated Geronimo dos Santos and Tyler King via TKO.[11]

Absolute Championship Berkut

In December 2017 Aliakbari announced his departure from Rizin and his joining of ACB. His first opponent was Denis Smoldarev, whom Aliakbari defeated via technical knockout at 2:27 of the first round on March 24, 2018. He was set to have four opponents in ACB.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

It was reported that Aliakbari was signed by the UFC on June 6, 2019 after he offered compensation to the ACA for early termination of his contract, where the compensation sum was donated to charity.[12] The UFC terminated the Agreement due to a doping ban handed down by the international amateur wrestling governing body, as well as US sanctions.[13]

ONE Championship

In August 2020 news broke that Aliakbari had signed with the ONE Championship.[14] He was scheduled to make his promotional debut against Islam Abasov at ONE Championship: Big Bang on December 4, 2020.[15] However, Abasov withdrew from the fight after being detained following a road incident in his native Russia.[16]

Aliakbari faced Kang Ji Won at ONE Championship: Fists of Fury 2 on March 5, 2021.[17] In a huge upset, Aliakbari lost to Kang by first-round knockout.[18]

Aliakbari faced Anatoly Malykhin at ONE Championship: Revolution on September 24, 2021.[19] He lost the bout, getting knocked unconscious again in the first round.[20]

Aliakbari faced Mauro Cerilli at ONE on Prime Video 1 on August 27, 2022.[21] He won the fight via technical knockout in the second round, earning his first promotional victory.[22]

Aliakbari faced the former ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon Vera on December 3, 2022, at ONE 164.[23] He won the fight by a first-round technical knockout.[24]

Aliakbari faced Dustin Joynson on July 15, 2023, at ONE Fight Night 12.[25] He won the fight by first-round submission due to strikes.[26] The victory also earned him a Performance of the Night bonus.[27]

Aliakbari is scheduled to face Arjan Bhullar on March 1, 2024, at ONE 166.[28]

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown
16 matches 13 wins 3 losses
By knockout 10 3
By decision 3 0
Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Win 13–3 Dustin Joynson TKO (submission to punches) ONE Fight Night 12 July 15, 2023 1 1:48 Bangkok, Thailand Performance of the Night.
Win 12–3 Brandon Vera TKO (elbows and punches) ONE 164 December 3, 2022 1 3:37 Pasay, Philippines
Win 11–3 Mauro Cerilli TKO (elbows) ONE on Prime Video 1 August 27, 2022 2 4.02 Kallang, Singapore
Loss 10–3 Anatoly Malykhin KO (punches) ONE: Revolution September 24, 2021 1 2:57 Kallang, Singapore
Loss 10–2 Kang Ji-won KO (punch) ONE: Fists of Fury 2 March 5, 2021 1 1:54 Kallang, Singapore
Win 10–1 Shelton Graves TKO (punches) ACA 93: Balaev vs. Zhamaldaev March 16, 2019 1 4:44 Saint Petersburg, Russia
Win 9–1 Daniel Omielańczuk Decision (unanimous) ACB 89: Abdulvakhabov vs. Bagov 3 September 8, 2018 3 5:00 Krasnodar, Russia
Win 8–1 Denis Smoldarev TKO (elbows and punches) ACB 83: Borisov vs. Kerimov March 24, 2018 1 2:25 Baku, Azerbaijan
Win 7–1 Tyler King TKO (punches) Rizin Fighting World Grand Prix 2017 Opening Round Part 1 July 30, 2017 1 1:39 Saitama, Japan
Win 6–1 Gerônimo dos Santos TKO (punches) Rizin FF 5: Sakura April 16, 2017 1 3:34 Yokohama, Japan
Loss 5–1 Mirko Cro Cop KO (punches) Rizin World Grand Prix 2016: Final Round December 31, 2016 1 2:03 Saitama, Japan 2016 Rizin Openweight Grand Prix Final.
Win 5–0 Valentin Moldavsky Decision (split) 2 5:00 2016 Rizin Openweight Grand Prix Semifinal.
Win 4–0 Heath Herring Decision (unanimous) Rizin World Grand Prix 2016: 2nd Round December 29, 2016 2 5:00 Saitama, Japan 2016 Rizin Openweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal.
Win 3–0 João Isidoro Almeida TKO (punches) Rizin World Grand Prix 2016: 1st Round September 25, 2016 1 2:25 Saitama, Japan 2016 Rizin Openweight Grand Prix First Round.
Win 2–0 Radu Spinghel TKO (punches) Real Fight Championship 3 December 5, 2015 1 1:02 Yokohama, Japan
Win 1–0 Hyung Chul-lee TKO (punches) Full Metal Dojo 7: Full Metal Massacre October 31, 2015 1 0:17 Bangkok, Thailand

[29]

Greco-Roman results

References

  1. 1 2 3 Grohmann, Karolos (December 14, 2013). Josh Reich (ed.). "Iran's wrestling world champion Akbari banned for life". Reuters. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Athletes / ALIAKBARI Amir". 27th Summer Universiade Kazan 2013 Official Website. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
  3. ↑ "About — Amir Aliakbari — Official Website". amiraliakbarimma.com. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  4. ↑ اسامي كشتی‌گيران و مربيان تيم‌های شركت‌كننده در ليگ برتر فرنگی جام خليج فارس. Iran Wrestling Federation (in Persian). Retrieved October 19, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Amir Ali-Akbari Greco-Roman world champ, Iran 4th best". IRNA. September 23, 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
  6. ↑ گفت‌وگو با کشتی‌گیر سابق تیم ملی که می‌خواهد در قفس مرگ آمریکا مبارزه کند/ قهرمان شوم ۱۵ میلیارد می‌گیرم [An Interview with former national team wrestler who wants to fight in American death cages]. Khabaronline (in Persian). Retrieved October 19, 2014.
  7. 1 2 "Iranian wrestling world champion Aliakbari training for MMA career at AKA Thailand". Bloody Elbow. October 18, 2014. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Amir Aliakbari is a darkhorse in the Rizin tournament". strikescoremma.com. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  9. ↑ "VIDEO Pogledajte tko je Amir Aliakbari, suparnik Cro Copa u finalu Rizina!". gol.dnevnik.hr. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  10. ↑ Raimondi, Marc (31 December 2016). "Rizin 2016 results: Mirko Cro Cop knocks out Amir Aliakbari to win grand prix". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  11. ↑ "Iranian MMA fighter knocks out American MMA giant in Japan (video)". kodoom.com. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  12. ↑ Sherdog.com. "Iranian Amir Aliakbari Released from ACA Contract to Go to UFC". Sherdog. Retrieved 2019-06-07.
  13. ↑ Marc Raimondi (August 4, 2020). "ONE Championship signs former Greco-Roman champ Amir Aliakbari". ESPN.
  14. ↑ Bowker, Dylan (4 August 2020). "Amir Aliakbari signs with ONE Championship". mymmanews.com. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  15. ↑ "Abasov Plans To Upstage Aliakbari, Announce Himself As Contender". ONE Championship. November 28, 2020.
  16. ↑ Jack Wannan (November 30, 2020). "Islam Abasov Pulled From Friday's ONE Card Following Being Detained In Russia". knockdownnews.com.
  17. ↑ "Amir Aliakbari faces Kang Ji Won at ONE: 'Fists of Fury' Part II". asianmma.com. February 3, 2021.
  18. ↑ Whitelaw, Andrew (5 March 2021). "Kang Ji Won ruins Amir Aliakbari's debut with upset win at ONE: 'Fists of Fury' Part II". asianmma.com. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  19. ↑ "Christian Lee, Victoria Lee share card at ONE Championship: Revolution". MMA Junkie. 2021-08-18. Retrieved 2021-08-18.
  20. ↑ "Anatoly Malykhin knocks Amir Aliakbari out cold! | Asian MMA". AsianMMA. 2021-09-24. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  21. ↑ Guilherme Cruz (July 11, 2022). "Rodtang Jitmuangnon, Marcus Buchecha among additions to ONE's debut on Amazon Prime". mmafighting.com.
  22. ↑ "Buchecha Extends Unbeaten Streak, Aliakbari Gets In Win Column At ONE On Prime Video 1". ONE Championship – The Home Of Martial Arts. 2022-08-27. Retrieved 2022-08-27.
  23. ↑ Ben Imperial (2022-11-03). "Former ONE heavyweight world champion Brandon Vera returns to face Amir Aliakbari". sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 2022-11-04.
  24. ↑ "(VIDEO) Amir Aliakbari brutalno završio Brandona Veru, pogledajte rezultate čitave ONE 164 priredbe". fightsite.hr. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  25. ↑ "Amir Aliakbari faces Dustin Joynson at ONE Fight Night 12". Asian MMA. 2023-06-29. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
  26. ↑ "Amir Aliakbari beats Dustin Joynson, taunts Anatoly Malykhin". Asian MMA. 2023-07-15. Retrieved 2023-07-16.
  27. ↑ "5 ONE Stars Awarded US$50,000 Performance Bonuses At ONE Fight Night 12". ONE Championship – The Home Of Martial Arts. 2023-07-15. Retrieved 2023-07-16.
  28. ↑ "ONE Championship: Brooks and Pacio rematch set for ONE 166 event in Qatar, Aliakbari misses out on title shot". South China Morning Post. 2023-12-18. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  29. ↑ "Amir Aliakbari MMA Stats, Pictures, News, Videos, Biography - Sherdog.com". Sherdog. Retrieved 2019-05-05.
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