Video has emerged of Khamzat Chimaev's first amateur fight, which took place in Sweden in September 2017. Chimaev finished the bout with a submission in the second round. He won three amateur fights total before turning professional in 2018. The fight occurred at Fight Club Rush, an organization that continues to hold events and is broadcast on Fight Pass. Chimaev's opponent in that amateur debut was Khaled Laalam, who currently holds a 7-1 professional record and competes in UAE Warriors.
Footage has surfaced of Khamzat Chimaev's very first amateur contest, a submission victory recorded in Sweden in September 2017, offering a rare early look at one of mixed martial arts' most dominant modern forces.
Chimaev, now ranked number one in the UFC middleweight division and tenth in the pound-for-pound standings, finished his opponent Khaled Laalam in the second round via submission. The bout took place under the Fight Club Rush banner, an organization that continues to operate and broadcasts its events on UFC Fight Pass. Chimaev went on to win three amateur bouts in total before making his professional debut in 2018.
Now 32 years old and representing the United Arab Emirates out of Allstars Training Center in Stockholm, Chimaev has built a professional record of 15 wins and one loss. Fighting out of an orthodox stance at six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, he has developed into one of the sport's most complete threats, averaging 4.04 significant strikes landed per minute at a striking accuracy rate of 60 percent, while also posting 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
His debut opponent, Khaled Laalam, was not an inconsequential figure. Laalam currently holds a 7-1 professional record and competes in UAE Warriors, making the unearthed footage a notable piece of context for both men's careers.
Why it matters
- The footage provides a historical record of Chimaev's development from an unpolished amateur to a top-ranked UFC contender
- Fight Club Rush's continued visibility on Fight Pass gives the clip broader reach than typical archival material
- Laalam's credible 7-1 professional record adds retrospective weight to the matchup
