RAF co-founder Eric Bischoff has expressed interest in booking Islam Makhachev against Umar Nurmagomedov at a tournament in Moscow in 2027. The promotion is holding its next event in Moscow on September 5, headlined by Khamzat Chimaev versus Tyron Woodley.
Russian fight promotion RAF could be targeting one of combat sports' most intriguing matchups for 2027, with co-founder Eric Bischoff reportedly expressing interest in booking Islam Makhachev against Umar Nurmagomedov in Moscow. The bout has not been officially announced, and the report should be treated as an early-stage expression of intent rather than a confirmed agreement.
Makhachev, 34, enters the conversation as one of the sport's most decorated fighters. The Russian welterweight champion carries a 29-1 record and holds the top pound-for-pound ranking. A southpaw out of Eagles MMA, he stands five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach and blends elite grappling — averaging 3.22 takedowns per 15 minutes — with surprisingly efficient striking, landing 2.27 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy.
Nurmagomedov, also fighting out of Eagles MMA, is ranked third in the bantamweight division at just 30 years old. The orthodox Russian holds a 20-2 record and has shown sharper offensive output than his potential opponent, averaging 3.86 significant strikes per minute at 56 percent accuracy, along with 4.03 takedowns per 15 minutes. The stylistic contrast between two elite grapplers from the same camp makes any prospective matchup a genuinely complex proposition.
The report comes one day before RAF's upcoming Moscow event on September 5, which is headlined by Khamzat Chimaev taking on Tyron Woodley. Chimaev, the number-one-ranked middleweight and tenth-ranked pound-for-pound fighter, carries a 15-1 record and averages a remarkable 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes — providing a high-profile backdrop against which Bischoff's longer-term ambitions are being floated.
Why it matters
- Makhachev and Nurmagomedov are Eagles MMA teammates, making a potential matchup between them unusual and contentious within the camp
- A cross-division exhibition or special ruleset bout in Moscow could draw enormous interest given both fighters' Russian fan bases
- The story remains unconfirmed, and RAF has not announced any formal negotiations
