Amir Aliakbari | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Amir Aziz Aliakbari[1] (1987-12-11)11 December 1987 (age 37) Sarab County, Iran |
| Alma mater | Islamic Azad University of Eslamshahr[2] |
| Sports career | |
| Country | Iran |
| Sport | Wrestling,Mixed martial arts |
| Event | Greco-Roman |
| Martial arts career | |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) |
| Weight | 246 lb (112 kg; 17 st 8 lb) |
| Reach | 76 in (193 cm) |
| Style | Wrestling |
| Team | AAA Team (present) AKA Thailand (2014–present)[3] |
| Wrestling | Greco-Roman Wrestling |
| Years active | 2005–2013; 2014–present |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 18 |
| Wins | 14 |
| By knockout | 10 |
| By decision | 3 |
| By disqualification | 1 |
| Losses | 4 |
| By knockout | 3 |
| By submission | 1 |
| Other information | |
| Mixed martial arts record fromSherdog | |
Medal record | |
Amir Aliakbari (Persian:امير علىاكبرى, born 11 December 1987) is an Iranian wrestler andmixed martial artist who he competes in theHeavyweight division. He has also competed forONE Championship,Absolute Championship Berkut (ACB) andRizin Fighting Federation.
Aliakbari is also a former gold medalist and world champion inGreco-Roman wrestling, winning gold medals at the2010 World Wrestling Championships and2009 Asian Wrestling Championships. International Wrestling Federation FILA (nowUnited World Wrestling) banned Aliakbari from competing for life after a seconddoping offense.
In 2007–2008, Aliakbari wrestled forMelli Haffari Company Ahvaz Sports Club of theIranian Premier Wrestling League.[4]
Aliakbari missed the2012 Summer Olympics due to adoping suspension.[1]
In the2013 World Wrestling Championships, 120 kg he initially won a gold medal, making him a two-time world champion.[5] However, in December 2013,International Wrestling Federation, FILA banned Aliakbari for life after a seconddoping offence. He was stripped of his gold medal andHeiki Nabi was moved up to gold.[1]
In 2014, longtime MMA entrepreneur & Gambino associate, Michael Abul personally founded Aliakbari from his wrestling credentials and got him into MMA. Abul was also a Founding investor with Paradigm Sports, so Aliakbari signed a management agreement with Paradigm Sports.[6] At the same time, he signed on to train under UFC starMike Swick of AKA Thailand in Phuket, Thailand, also training alongside UFC fightersMark Hunt andSoa Palelei.[7] Aliakbari is the first world class Iranian wrestler to pursue an MMA career.[7]
In October 2015, Aliakbari made his professional MMA debut atFull Metal Dojo and defeated Hyung Chul-Lee via TKO in the first round. His second bout came two months later as he defeated Radu Spinghel via TKO in the first round.[8]
In early 2016, it was announced that Aliakbari had signed with the Japanese promotionRizin Fighting Federation. He made his debut in September in the first round of theOpenweight Grand Prix against Joao Isidoro Almeida. He won the fight via TKO in the first round. Aliakbari was scheduled to face former UFC championShane Carwin in the quarter-finals in December 2016. However, Carwin withdrew from the tournament and he instead facedHeath Herring. Aliakbari won the bout by unanimous decision. In the final stage of the tournament on December 31, Aliakbari faced Valentin Moldavsky. He won the fight via split decision.[9] He then facedMirko Cro Cop in the finals on the same night and lost the fight via knockout.[10] He then defeated Geronimo dos Santos and Tyler King via TKO.[11]
In December 2017 Aliakbari announced his departure from Rizin and his joining of ACB. His first opponent was Denis Smoldarev, whom Aliakbari defeated via technical knockout at 2:27 of the first round on March 24, 2018. He was set to have four opponents in ACB.
It was reported that Aliakbari was signed by theUFC on June 6, 2019 after he offered compensation to theACA for early termination of his contract, where the compensation sum was donated to charity.[12] The UFC terminated the Agreement due to a doping ban handed down by the international amateur wrestling governing body, as well as US sanctions.[13]
In August 2020 news broke that Aliakbari had signed with theONE Championship.[14] He was scheduled to make his promotional debut against Islam Abasov atONE Championship: Big Bang on December 4, 2020.[15] However, Abasov withdrew from the fight after being detained following a road incident in his native Russia.[16]
Aliakbari faced Kang Ji Won atONE Championship: Fists of Fury 2 on March 5, 2021.[17] In a huge upset, Aliakbari lost to Kang by first-round knockout.[18]
Aliakbari facedAnatoly Malykhin atONE Championship: Revolution on September 24, 2021.[19] He lost the bout, getting knocked unconscious again in the first round.[20]
Aliakbari faced Mauro Cerilli atONE on Prime Video 1 on August 27, 2022.[21] He won the fight via technical knockout in the second round, earning his first promotional victory.[22]
Aliakbari faced the formerONE Heavyweight World ChampionBrandon Vera on December 3, 2022, atONE 164.[23] He won the fight by a first-round technical knockout.[24]
Aliakbari faced Dustin Joynson on July 15, 2023, atONE Fight Night 12.[25] He won the fight by first-round submission due to strikes.[26] The victory also earned him aPerformance of the Night bonus.[27]
Aliakbari facedArjan Bhullar on March 1, 2024, atONE 166.[28] He won the fight via disqualification due to Bhullar's timidity in round three.[29]
Aliakbari facedMarcus Buchecha on November 9, 2024, atONE 169.[30] He lost the fight via rear-naked choke in round one.[31]
On February 9, 2025, it was announced that Aliakbari was no longer with the promotion.[32]
| 18 matches | 14 wins | 4 losses |
| By knockout | 10 | 3 |
| By submission | 0 | 1 |
| By decision | 3 | 0 |
| By disqualification | 1 | 0 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 14–4 | Marcus Buchecha | Submission (rear-naked choke) | ONE 169 | November 9, 2024 | 1 | 3:15 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| Win | 14–3 | Arjan Bhullar | DQ (timidity) | ONE 166 | March 1, 2024 | 3 | 4:50 | Lusail, Qatar | The bout was ended by disqualification due to the referee giving Bhullar a red card for inactivity. |
| Win | 13–3 | Dustin Joynson | TKO (submission to punches) | ONE Fight Night 12 | July 15, 2023 | 1 | 1:48 | Bangkok, Thailand | Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 12–3 | Brandon Vera | TKO (elbows and punches) | ONE 164 | December 3, 2022 | 1 | 3:37 | Pasay, Philippines | |
| Win | 11–3 | Mauro Cerilli | TKO (elbows) | ONE on Prime Video 1 | August 27, 2022 | 2 | 4.02 | Kallang, Singapore | |
| Loss | 10–3 | Anatoly Malykhin | KO (punches) | ONE: Revolution | September 24, 2021 | 1 | 2:57 | Kallang, Singapore | |
| Loss | 10–2 | Kang Ji-won | KO (punch) | ONE: Fists of Fury 2 | March 5, 2021 | 1 | 1:54 | Kallang, Singapore | |
| Win | 10–1 | Shelton Graves | TKO (punches) | ACA 93 | March 16, 2019 | 1 | 4:44 | Saint Petersburg, Russia | |
| Win | 9–1 | Daniel Omielańczuk | Decision (unanimous) | ACB 89 | September 8, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Krasnodar, Russia | |
| Win | 8–1 | Denis Smoldarev | TKO (elbows and punches) | ACB 83 | March 24, 2018 | 1 | 2:25 | Baku, Azerbaijan | |
| Win | 7–1 | Tyler King | TKO (punches) | Rizin World Grand Prix 2017: Opening Round - Part 1 | July 30, 2017 | 1 | 1:39 | Saitama, Japan | |
| Win | 6–1 | Gerônimo dos Santos | TKO (punches) | Rizin 2017 in Yokohama: Sakura | April 16, 2017 | 1 | 3:34 | Yokohama, Japan | |
| Loss | 5–1 | Mirko Cro Cop | KO (punches) | Rizin World Grand Prix 2016: Final Round | December 31, 2016 | 1 | 2:03 | Saitama, Japan | 2016 Rizin Openweight Grand Prix Final. |
| Win | 5–0 | Valentin Moldavsky | Decision (split) | 2 | 5:00 | 2016 Rizin Openweight Grand Prix Semifinal. | |||
| Win | 4–0 | Heath Herring | Decision (unanimous) | Rizin World Grand Prix 2016: 2nd Round | December 29, 2016 | 2 | 5:00 | Saitama, Japan | 2016 Rizin Openweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal. |
| Win | 3–0 | João Isidoro Almeida | TKO (punches) | Rizin World Grand Prix 2016: 1st Round | September 25, 2016 | 1 | 2:25 | Saitama, Japan | 2016 Rizin Openweight Grand Prix First Round. |
| Win | 2–0 | Radu Spinghel | TKO (punches) | Real Fight Championship 3 | December 5, 2015 | 1 | 1:02 | Yokohama, Japan | |
| Win | 1–0 | Hyung Chul-lee | TKO (punches) | Full Metal Dojo 7 | October 31, 2015 | 1 | 0:17 | Bangkok, Thailand |
