ACA president Magomed Bibulatov officially announced that Abdul-Aziz Abdulvakhabov has vacated the lightweight championship. Daud Shaikhaev, who held the interim title, now becomes the undisputed lightweight champion. At ACA 204 in Omsk this July, Alexander Shlemenko will face Ikram Aliskerov in the main event, with Shurgevich versus Dudaev as co-main and additional fights including Khabibullin versus Grozin and Matmuratov versus Sulumov. ACA 206 in Moscow in August will feature Abdulvakhabov challenging for a title against Aliakbari in the main event, with Shaikhaev defending against Bagautdin Tumenov in the co-main event.
ACA president Magomed Bibulatov announced this week that Abdul-Aziz Abdulvakhabov has vacated the organization's lightweight championship, triggering a reshuffle at the top of the division and setting up a packed schedule of high-profile bouts across two upcoming events.
With Abdulvakhabov relinquishing the belt, interim champion Daud Shaikhaev is elevated to undisputed lightweight champion. Abdulvakhabov will look to reclaim gold at ACA 206 in Moscow this August, where he is booked to challenge for the title against Aliakbari in the main event. Shaikhaev will also appear on that card, defending his newly won undisputed strap against Bagautdin Tumenov in the co-main event.
Before Moscow, ACA 204 heads to Omsk in July with a compelling main event pairing two Russian veterans. Alexander "Storm" Shlemenko, the 42-year-old Omsk native who carries a remarkable 56-9-0 professional record, takes on Ikram Aliskerov. Shlemenko is a pure striker who lands 4.36 significant strikes per minute at 60 percent accuracy and has recorded zero takedown attempts per 15 minutes, making his approach straightforward and aggressive. Aliskerov, 33, trains out of KHK MMA and brings an 18-2-0 record into the matchup. The six-foot southpaw, who sports a 76-inch reach, is one of the more dangerous strikers in the sport at this level, landing 6.86 significant strikes per minute at a 64 percent accuracy rate and adding 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes to give him a well-rounded offensive game.
The Omsk card is rounded out by Shurgevich versus Dudaev in the co-main event, plus Khabibullin against Grozin and Matmuratov against Sulumov.
Why it matters
- Shaikhaev's promotion to undisputed champion reshapes the ACA lightweight landscape immediately
- Abdulvakhabov versus Aliakbari gives the former champion a direct path back to the title he vacated
- Shlemenko versus Aliskerov pits a living ACA legend against one of the organization's most productive strikers, with a stark stylistic contrast in reach and volume
