Eagle Fighting Championship Explained

Eagle Fighting Championship
Current Season:	2022 in Eagle Fighting Championship
Formerly:	Federation of MMA of Samara (FMMAS) Gorilla Fighting Championship (GFC)
Owner:	Khabib Nurmagomedov Rizvan Magomedov Shamil Zavurov
Industry:	Mixed martial arts promotion
Founded:	May 2017 (FMMAS/GFC) Dec 2020 (EFC)
Headquarters:	Dagestan, Russia
Sport:	Mixed martial arts

Eagle Fighting Championship (EFC), commonly referred to as Eagle FC, is a Russian mixed martial arts promotion company established in 2020 by former UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. It was renamed to Eagle Fighting Championship (EFC) after Nurmagomedov bought Gorilla Fighting Championship (GFC) for $1 million.^[1] ^[2]

History

In November 2020, Khabib Nurmagomedov bought the Russian MMA promotion Gorilla Fighting Championship (formerly known as Federation of MMA of Samara), for $1 million and renamed it to Eagle Fighting Championship (EFC).^[3] ^[4]

GFC had been in the industry since 2017 and was on the edge of bankruptcy. When Nurmagomedov retired, he acquired the promotion and became the promoter.

EFC held their first event in the USA on January 28, 2022 in Miami, Florida.^[5] ^[6] ^[7]

Weight divisions

Weight class name	Upper limit
Weight class name	Before 2022	After 2022^[8]
Strawweight	1151NaN1	N/A
Flyweight	1251NaN1	1251NaN1
Bantamweight	1351NaN1	1351NaN1
Featherweight	1451NaN1	1451NaN1
Lightweight	1551NaN1	1551NaN1
Super lightweight	N/A	1651NaN1^[9]
Welterweight	1701NaN1	1751NaN1
Middleweight	1851NaN1	1851NaN1
Light heavyweight	N/A	2051NaN1
Heavyweight	2651NaN1	2651NaN1

Events

Past events

Event Title	Date	Arena	Location
Eagle FC 54: Yamilov vs. Mamedov ^[10]	November 11, 2023		Almetyevsk, Russia
Eagle FC 53: Yaskovets vs. Abdurakov	August 18, 2023		Yakutsk, Russia
Eagle FC 52: Chergesov vs. Tuyakov	June 17, 2023
	December 10, 2022	KSK Zhayyk	Atyrau, Kazakhstan
Eagle FC 50: Nurgozhay vs. Andreitsev	August 21, 2022	Barys Arena	Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
Eagle FC 49: Busurmankul vs. Magomedov	August 10, 2022		Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Eagle FC 48 & Naiza FC 41	July 16, 2022		Aktau, Kazakhstan
Eagle FC 47: Dos Santos vs. De Castro	May 20, 2022	FTX Arena	Miami, Florida, U.S.
Eagle FC 46: Lee vs. Sanchez	March 11, 2022	FTX Arena	Miami, Florida, U.S.
Eagle FC 45: Busurmankul vs. Magomedov	February 18, 2022	Crocus Expo	Moscow, Russia
Eagle FC 44: Spong vs. Kharitonov	January 28, 2022	FTX Arena	Miami, Florida, U.S.
EFC 43	December 10, 2021		Moscow, Russia
EFC 42	October 17, 2021	WOW Arena	Sochi, Russia
EFC 41/AMC Fight Nights	September 17, 2021	Crocus Expo Arena	Moscow, Russia
EFC 40	September 4, 2021	Sport Complex Jubilee	Almetyevsk, Russia
EFC 39	August 22, 2021		Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
EFC 38	August 3, 2021		Issyk Kul, Kyrgyzstan
EFC 37	August 22, 2021	Almaty Arena	Almaty, Kazakhstan

^[11]

Current champions

Class	Upper weight limit	Champion	Date	Defenses
Heavyweight	265lb	Vacant
Light heavyweight	205lb	Diyar Nurgozhay	August 21, 2022	0
Middleweight	185lb	Dauren Ermekov
Welterweight	175lb	Vacant
Super lightweight	165lb	Vacant
Lightweight	155lb	Ramin Sultanov	November 11, 2023	0
Featherweight	145lb	Vacant
Bantamweight	135lb	Renat Khavalov	March 19, 2021	3
Flyweight	125lb	Irgit Oveenchi	August 10, 2022	0

Championship history

Heavyweight Championship

206 to 265 lb (93 to 120 kg)

width=1%	No.	width=23%	Name	width=15%	Event	width=17%	Date	width=36%	Defenses
1	align=left	Shamil Abasov	align=center		align=center	May 11, 2018
2	align=left	Rizvan Kuniev	align=center	GFC 16	align=center	August 30, 2019
align=center colspan=5	Kuniev vacated the title on December 6, 2022, when he signed with Professional Fighters League.^[12]

Light Heavyweight Championship

186 to 205 lb (84 to 93 kg)

width=1%	No.	width=23%	Name	width=15%	Event	width=17%	Date	width=36%	Defenses
Current	align=left	Diyar Nurgozhay	align=center	Eagle FC 50	align=center	August 21, 2022

Middleweight Championship

175 to 185 lb (79 to 84 kg)

width=1%	No.	width=23%	Name	width=15%	Event	width=17%	Date	width=36%	Defenses
1	align=left	Rinat Fakhretdinov	align=center	GFC 11	align=center	May 3, 2019
Fakhretdinov vacated when he chose to test free agency.
2	align=left	Faridun Odilov	align=center	EFC 33	align=center	February 9, 2021
–	align=left	Dauren Ermekov	align=center		align=center	July 16, 2022
Odilov was stripped of the title due to injury. Ermekov promoted to champ
3	align=left	Dauren Ermekov	align=center		align=center	July 16, 2022
Ermekov vacated when he chose to test free agency.

Welterweight Championship

166 to 175 lb (75 to 79 kg)

width=1%	No.	width=23%	Name	width=15%	Event	width=17%	Date	width=36%	Defenses
1	align=left		align=center	GFC 16	align=center	August 30, 2019
Umalatov vacated in May 2020 when he signed with PFL
2	align=left	Samandar Murodov	align=center	Eagle FC 41	align=center	September 17, 2021
–	align=left	Imam-Shapi Mukhtarov	align=center	Eagle FC 50	align=center	August 21, 2022
Murodov vacated to test free agency.
3	align=left	Denis Izmodenov	align=center	Eagle FC 51	align=center	December 10, 2022
Izmodenov vacated on April 2023 when he signed with ACA. ^[13]

Lightweight Championship

146 to 155 lb (66 to 70 kg)

width=1%	No.	width=23%	Name	width=15%	Event	width=17%	Date	width=36%	Defenses
1	align=left	Maksim Trunov	align=center		align=center	April 14, 2019
2	align=left	Anvar Chergesov	align=center	GFC 18	align=center	October 6, 2019
-	align=left		align=center	GFC 24	align=center	February 9, 2020
3	align=left		align=center	GFC 29	align=center	October 16, 2020
Saidjamolov vacated when he signed with Brave Combat Federation
4	align=left		align=center	GFC 24	align=center	February 9, 2020
5	align=left	Mehdi Dakaev	align=center	EFC 30	align=center	December 4, 2020
Dakaev vacated on April 2023 when he signed with ACA. ^[14]
Current	align=left	Ramin Sultanov	align=center	Eagle FC 54	align=center	November 11, 2023

Featherweight Championship

136 to 145 lb (61 to 66 kg)

width=1%	No.	width=23%	Name	width=15%	Event	width=17%	Date	width=36%	Defenses
1	align=left	Abdurakhman Gitinovasov	align=center	Battle on Volga 6	align=center	September 23, 2018
2	align=left	Jora Ayvazyan	align=center		align=center	April 14, 2019
3	align=left	Rasul Magomedov	align=center	EFC 30	align=center	December 4, 2020
4	Ruslan Yamanbaev	EFC 35	April 6, 2021
5	Busurmankul Abdibait Uulu	EFC 38	August 3, 2021
-	Rasul Magomedov	Eagle FC 45	February 18, 2022
6	align=left	Rasul Magomedov	align=center	Eagle FC 49	align=center	August 10, 2022
Magomedov vacated in August 2023 when he signed with ACA. ^[15]

Bantamweight Championship

126 to 135 lb (57 to 61 kg)

width=1%	No.	width=23%	Name	width=15%	Event	width=17%	Date	width=36%	Defenses
1	align=left		align=center		align=center	May 11, 2018
Title was vacated when Nurmagomedov signed with the UFC
2	align=left	Mansur Malachiev	align=center	EFC 33	align=center	February 9, 2021
Title was vacated in March 2021 when Malachiev moved down to Flyweight
Current	Renat Khavalov	EFC 34	March 19, 2021

Flyweight Championship

116 to 125 lb (53 to 57 kg)

width=1%	No.	width=23%	Name	width=15%	Event	width=17%	Date	width=36%	Defenses
1	align=left	Ali Bagautinov	align=center	Battle on Volga 6	align=center	September 23, 2018
Bagautinov vacated the title when he signed for the Fight Nights Global.
2	align=left	Tagir Ulanbekov	align=center	GFC 11	align=center	May 3, 2019
Ulanbekov vacated the title when he signed for the UFC.
3	align=left		align=center	EFC 38	align=center	August 3, 2021
Malachiev was stripped of title due to injury.
Current	align=left	Irgit Oveenchi	align=center	Eagle FC 49	align=center	August 10, 2022

Women's divisions (defunct)

Women's Bantamweight Championship

126lb to 135lb

width=1%	No.	width=23%	Name	width=15%	Event	width=17%	Date	width=36%	Defenses
1	align=left		align=center		align=center	2018
*Federation of MMA of Samara becomes GFC. The title was subsequently deactivated*

Women's Flyweight Championship

116lb to 125lb

width=1%	No.	width=23%	Name	width=15%	Event	width=17%	Date	width=36%	Defenses
1	align=left	Liliya Shakirova	align=center	GFC 18	align=center	October
*GFC becomes EFC. The title was subsequently deactivated*

Notable athletes and alumni

Diego Sanchez: Former UFC Lightweight Championship Contender.^[16] TUF 1 Middleweight Tournament Winner.^[17] Former KOTC Welterweight Champion.^[18]
Kevin Lee: Former UFC interim Lightweight Championship Contender^[19]
Renan Barão: Former UFC Bantamweight Champion^[20]
Rashad Evans: Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion^[21]
Antônio Silva: Former UFC Heavyweight Fighter^[22]
Junior dos Santos

Former UFC Heavyweight Champion^[23]

Ray Borg: Former UFC Flyweight Title Challenger^[24]
Umar Nurmagomedov: Current UFC Bantamweight and cousin of Eagle FC founder Khabib Nurmagomedov. Ex-Combat Sambo Champion (Not FIAS)^[25] & former Bantamweight Champion of GFC^[26]
Usman Nurmagomedov: Current Bellator Lightweight Champion. Cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov and younger brother of Umar Nurmagomedov.^[27] ^[28]
Tagir Ulanbekov: Current UFC Flyweight^[29] and former Flyweight Champion of GFC. Ex-World Combat Sambo Champion (Not FIAS).^[30]

Notes and References

Web site: 2021-11-29. Nurmagomedov's Eagle FC to land in U.S. in 2022. 2021-12-16. ESPN.com. en.
Web site: Mckeever, Lewis. December 4, 2020. Khabib launches Eagle Fighting Championships, hopes to strike deal with UFC. Bloody Elbow. March 6, 2021.
Web site: Ellis. Jordan. REPORT Khabib Nurmagomedov Buys Fight Promotion For $1 Million. 2021-12-15. en-US.
Web site: 2 December 2020. Нурмагомедов объяснил, зачем купил промоушен GFC за $ 1 млн. championat.
Web site: 2021-11-29. Khabib Nurmagomedov bringing his Eagle FC promotion to Miami in January. 2021-12-15. MMA Junkie. en-US.
Web site: 2021-12-06. Spong-Silva headlines Eagle FC's debut in U.S.. 2021-12-15. ESPN.com. en.
Web site: Martin. Damon. 2022-01-28. Eagle FC 44 results: Rashad Evans makes successful return from retirement with dominant win over Gabriel Checco. 2022-01-29. MMA Fighting. en.
https://www.mmamania.com/2021/12/15/22838376/eagle-fc-reveals-mma-weight-classes-including-long-coveted-165-pound-division MMA Mania
https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/32875695/khabib-nurmagomedov-adding-kevin-lee-165-pound-weight-class-promotion-eagle-fc ESPN
Web site: 11 ноября в Татарстане состоится турнир Eagle FC 54 . mma.metaratings.ru . ru . September 28, 2023.
Web site: Sherdog.com. Eagle Fighting Championship Fights, Fight Cards, Videos, Pictures, Events and more. 2021-12-17. Sherdog.
Web site: PFL Signs Eagle FC Heavyweight King Rizvan Kuniev, Two Other Regional Champions. Sherdog.com. Tristen Critchfield. 2022-12-06. 2022-12-06.
Web site: Чемпион Eagle FC Денис Измоденов подписал контракт с ACA . mma.metaratings.ru . ru . April 9, 2023.
Web site: ЧМехди Дакаев перешел в лигу ACA . fight.ru . ru . April 8, 2023.
Web site: Бывший чемпион Eagle FC в полулегкой весовой категории Расул Магомедов подписал контракт с ACA. Об этом российская лига сообщила в своих социальных сетях. . mma.metaratings.ru . ru . August 22, 2023.
Web site: UFC 107: Penn vs. Sanchez . 2022-07-09. UFC. en.
Web site: The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale. 2022-07-09. UFC. en.
Web site: KOTC 37: Unfinished Business - Results. 2022-07-09. Sherdog. en.
Web site: Martin. Damon. 2021-12-15. Former UFC fighter Kevin Lee signs with Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC. 2021-12-15. MMA Fighting. en.
Web site: Martin. Damon. 2021-12-13. Ex-UFC champ Renan Barao faces Horacio Gutierrez at Eagle FC 44 in January. 2021-12-13. MMA Fighting. en.
Web site: 2021-12-08. Rashad Evans to Return from retirement at Eagle FC 44. 2021-12-17. MMA Sucka. en.
Web site: Cruz. Guilherme. 2021-12-16. ‘Bigfoot’ Silva: ‘I have no idea’ why I’m out of Eagle FC main event; Eagle FC issues statement. 2021-12-17. MMA Fighting. en.
Web site: 2022-03-09 . Junior dos Santos books May 20 Eagle FC debut . 2022-03-10 . ESPN.com . en.
Web site: Sherdog.com. Ray. 2022-01-31. Sherdog. en.
Web site: World Combat Sambo Championship 2015. 11-12 Desember. Moscow. Results » European Combat Sambo Federation . 2022-06-18 . ecsambo.org.
Web site: Umar Nurmagomedov MMA Fighter Page. 2022-01-31. Tapology. en.
Web site: Bellator MMA. 2022-01-31. www.bellator.com.
Web site: Usman Nurmagomedov MMA Fighter Page. 2022-01-31. Tapology. en.
Web site: 2020-05-22 . Tagir Ulanbekov UFC . 2022-06-18 . www.ufc.com . en.
Web site: World Combat Sambo Championship (WCSF). December 16, 2014. Moscow. Russia. Results » European Combat Sambo Federation . 2022-06-18 . ecsambo.org.