Footage has emerged of Khamzat Chimaev's first amateur MMA bout, which took place in September 2017 in Sweden under the Fight Club Rush organization. Chimaev finished the fight with a submission in the second round. He won three amateur bouts total before transitioning to professional MMA the following year in 2018. His opponent in that debut fight was Khaled Laalaam, who currently holds a 7-1 professional record and competes in UAE Warriors. Fight Club Rush continues to hold events that are broadcast on UFC Fight Pass.
Archival footage of Khamzat Chimaev's very first amateur mixed martial arts contest has surfaced online, offering a rare look at the early competitive steps of one of the sport's most dominant active fighters. The bout took place in September 2017 in Sweden, organized under the Fight Club Rush banner, and ended with Chimaev securing a submission finish in the second round.
Chimaev, now 32 years old and representing the United Arab Emirates out of Allstars Training Center, has developed into one of the most feared fighters on the planet. Currently ranked first in the middleweight division and tenth in the pound-for-pound standings, he carries a professional record of 15-1. Standing six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, his game is built on relentless pressure — he lands 4.04 significant strikes per minute at a remarkable 60 percent accuracy, while averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes. That submission instinct was already on display in the very first competitive fight of his career.
His opponent in that debut amateur contest was Khaled Laalaam, who went on to forge a professional career of his own. Laalaam currently holds a 7-1 professional record and competes for UAE Warriors, making his connection to Chimaev's origin story a notable footnote given both men's continued activity in the sport. Fight Club Rush, the promotion that hosted the bout, remains active today and broadcasts its events through UFC Fight Pass.
Chimaev went on to win three amateur bouts in total before making his professional debut in 2018. The newly surfaced footage fills in a piece of the competitive biography of a fighter who has since become one of the most discussed names in the middleweight division.
