Timur Valiev

Timur Arsenovich Valiev (born January 19, 1990) is a Russian mixed martial artist who competes in the bantamweight division of Absolute Championship Akhmat (ACA). Valiev previously fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Professional Fighters League (PFL).

Background
Timur Valiev was born on January 19, 1990, in Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia. In the high school he competed in soccer, then at the age of sixteen on the advice of a friend he joined to Wushu Sanda. Also he trained kickboxing and thai boxing. He won a gold medal in European Pankration Championship and 3rd in World Cup.

Early career
Valiev made his professional MMA debut on September 4, 2010, in Portugal at the World Ultimate Full Contact 16 against Olle Raberg of Sweden. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.

Eurasia Fight Nights Global
Valiev faced UFC hopeful Oleg Borisov on November 3, 2012, at the EFN - Battle of Moscow 8. He won the fight via unanimous decision.

World Series of Fighting
His WSOF debut was at the WSOF 10 on June 14, 2014, against Adam Acquaviva. He won the fight via technical knockout in the third round.

Valiev faced Isaiah Chapman at the WSOF 13 on September 13, 2014. He won thefight via unanimous decision.

Valiev faced Ed West at the WSOF 19 on March 28, 2015. He won the fight via technical knockout in the first round.

Valiev faced Tito Jones at the WSOF 23 on September 28, 2015. He won the fight via unanimous decision.

Valiev faced Chris Gutiérrez at the WSOF 28 on February 20, 2016. He lost the back-and-forth fight by split decision. After the fight WSOF president Ray Sefo did not agree with the result fight and gave a rematch for Valiev.

In their second fight, Valiev defeated Chris Gutiérrez at WSOF 33 on October 7, 2016, via unanimous decision.

Valiev was expected to face Bekbulat Magomedov on March 18, 2017, at WSOF 35 for vacant Bantamweight title. However, Valiev pulled out of the fight in the beginning of March citing an elbow injury and was replaced by Donavon Frelow.

Professional Fighters League
Valiev faced Josenaldo Silva on November 2, 2017, at PFL: Fight Night. He won the fight via submission in the third round.

Valiev faced Max Coga on June 7, 2018, at PFL 1. He won the fight by unanimous decision.

Originally a fight between Timur Valiev vs. Lee Coville was set, however due to undisclosed reasons Coville was forced to pull out, and was replaced by countrymen Bekbulat Magomedov on July 19, 2018, at PFL 4. He won the bout via unanimous decision.

Ultimate Fighting Championship
Valiev was scheduled to make his promotional debut against Jamall Emmers in a featherweight bout on August 1, 2020, at UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Shahbazyan. However, Valiev was removed from the card two days before the event for undisclosed reasons and replaced by Vincent Cachero.

Valiev was quickly rescheduled and expected to face fellow newcomer Mark Striegl on August 22, 2020, at UFC on ESPN 15. In turn, Striegl was removed from the fight on August 20 after testing positive for COVID-19 and replaced by Trevin Jones. Valiev lost the fight via TKO in the second round. On October 7, it was announced that the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) issued a four and a half month suspension for Trevin Jones, after he tested positive for marijuana in a drug test related to his fight. They also announced that Jones' victory was overturned to a no contest due to the violation. He was fined $1,800 and before he is relicensed in Las Vegas, Jones will also have to pay a prosecution fee of $145.36.

Valiev was expected to face Julio Arce on February 6, 2021, at UFC Fight Night 184. However, Arce was removed from the event in late January due to undisclosed reasons and replaced by Martin Day. He won the fight via unanimous decision.

Valiev faced Raoni Barcelos on June 26, 2021, at UFC Fight Night: Gane vs. Volkov. Despite being knocked down twice in the second round, Valiev won the fight via majority decision. This fight earned him the Fight of the Night award.

Valiev faced Jack Shore, replacing Umar Nurmagomedov, on March 19, 2022, at UFC Fight Night 204. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.

On June 23, 2022, it was announced that Valiev was no longer on the UFC roster.

The Ultimate Fighter 31
In mid March 2023, it was announced that Valiev would be competing in the thirty-first season of The Ultimate Fighter 31.

Valiev was initially scheduled to face Trevor Wells in the Quarterfinal on the second episode, However the bout was postponed after a cold sore on Wells's face prevented him from being medically cleared to fight. The fight instead took place later on the fourth episode at a 142-pound catchweight. Valiev won the fight via unanimous decision.

In the semi-final round, Valiev faced The Ultimate Fighter Season 27 winner Brad Katona, and lost the fight via split decision.

Absolute Championship Akhmat
Valiev was scheduled to face fellow UFC vet Raulian Paiva on October 20, 2023 at UAE Warriors 45, however Paiva missed weight and the bout was scrapped.

On January 8, 2024 it was announced that Valiev has signed a deal with Absolute Championship Akhmat (ACA).

His ACA debut was at the ACA 172 on March 9, 2024, against Aleksandr Podlesniy, where he lost the fight via unanimous decision.

Mixed martial arts

 * Ultimate Fighting Championship
 * Fight of the Night (One time) vs. Raoni Barcelos

Pankration

 * International Pankration Federation 
 * World Champion.
 * European Champion.
 * World Cup - 3rd.

Grappling

 * Russian Grappling Federation
 * Russian Open winner.

Kudo

 * Russian Kudo Federation
 * Dagestan Championship - winner.

Hand-to-hand combat

 * Russian HTH Federation
 * Dagestan Open - winner.