Puya Rahmani will compete in a grappling tournament rather than fulfilling his contractual obligation to ACA, where he owes the promotion one fight. On May 23 in Moscow, Rahmani (6-0 in MMA) will face Ruslan Abdulaev (5-0 in Hardcore MMA) at the FSA PRO CUP grappling event. Abdulaev is a nine-time world champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and grappling. The tournament will feature numerous top-level grapplers. This marks another instance of the former ACA fighter competing outside the promotion despite his contractual status.
Unbeaten MMA prospect Puya Rahmani will step onto the grappling mats in Moscow on May 23 rather than fulfill his outstanding contractual obligation to the Absolute Championship Akhmat, competing instead at the FSA PRO CUP grappling tournament.
Rahmani, who carries a perfect 6-0 record in MMA, is set to face Ruslan Abdulaev in what shapes up as a significant submission grappling contest. Abdulaev brings exceptional credentials to the match, having claimed world championship titles nine times across Brazilian jiu-jitsu and grappling competitions, along with a 5-0 record under Hardcore MMA. The FSA PRO CUP card is expected to draw a number of high-level grapplers alongside the main pairing.
The bout adds a new layer to an ongoing contractual situation between Rahmani and ACA. The promotion still holds him to one fight on his deal, yet this marks another occasion on which Rahmani has competed outside the organization while that obligation remains unsettled. Whether ACA will take formal action over the continued activity away from the promotion remains unclear based on available information.
Why it matters
- Rahmani's decision to compete in grappling rather than MMA keeps his ACA contractual dispute unresolved and potentially complicates his path back to the cage.
- A matchup against a nine-time world champion in Abdulaev is a genuine test of Rahmani's submission grappling game ahead of any future MMA activity.
- The FSA PRO CUP platform gives both fighters visibility among a grappling audience at a time when crossover events continue to attract top MMA talent.
