Footage has emerged of Khamzat Chimaev's first amateur MMA bout, which took place in September 2017 in Sweden. Chimaev finished the fight with a submission in the second round, demonstrating the finishing ability that would later define his professional career. He competed three times as an amateur before transitioning to professional MMA the following year in 2018. The bout took place under the Fight Club Rush organization, which continues to hold events to this day and is even broadcast on UFC Fight Pass. Chimaev's opponent in that debut was Khaled Laalam, who has since compiled a 7-1 professional record and currently competes in the UAE Warriors promotion.
Footage has surfaced of Khamzat Chimaev competing in his very first amateur MMA bout, a September 2017 contest held in Sweden under the Fight Club Rush banner that ended with a second-round submission finish.
Chimaev, now ranked first in the UFC middleweight division and tenth pound-for-pound, was just beginning his fighting career when the bout took place. He went on to compete three more times as an amateur before making his professional debut in 2018. The Chechen-born fighter, now representing the United Arab Emirates and based at Allstars Training Center in Stockholm, has built a professional record of 15-1-0 and established himself as one of the most complete fighters in the sport. Standing six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, the 32-year-old lands 4.04 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 60 percent, while also averaging an imposing 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes. His submission attempts rate of 1.8 per 15 minutes reflects the finishing instinct already visible in that earliest amateur outing.
His opponent that night, Khaled Laalam, has gone on to forge a credible career of his own. Laalam currently holds a 7-1 professional record and competes for the UAE Warriors promotion, one of the region's most prominent organizations.
The Fight Club Rush promotion, which hosted Chimaev's debut, remains active today and has grown to the point where its events are broadcast on UFC Fight Pass.
Why it matters
- The footage offers rare early context for one of the middleweight division's most dominant current contenders
- Chimaev's submission finish in round two foreshadowed the well-rounded finishing ability that defines his professional career
- Laalam's subsequent 7-1 record adds credibility to the matchup and illustrates the competitive level Chimaev faced even at the amateur stage
- Fight Club Rush's continued growth, including a UFC Fight Pass deal, underlines Sweden's expanding role in developing elite MMA talent
