Gadzhi Rabadanov Bio
Gadzhi Kadiomarovich Rabadanov, born on July 1, 1993, is a Russian mixed martial artist who competes in the Lightweight division of the Professional Fighters League (PFL), where he captured the 2024 PFL Lightweight Championship. A professional mixed martial artist since 2013, he has also competed in Bellator MMA, Fight Nights Global, and Gorilla Fighting Championship (GFC), where he was the promotion’s Lightweight Champion. Standing 175 cm tall with a 183 cm reach, Rabadanov fights from a southpaw stance and represents American Kickboxing Academy, Eagles MMA, and Mamishev Team.
Beyond the PFL title, Rabadanov is a WWMMA world champion, having won a gold medal in the -74 kg category in 2015 in Prague, an achievement that earned him the International Master of Sports designation in mixed martial arts. He is also a WCSF World Combat Sambo Championship bronze medalist from 2014 and a Russian amateur MMA champion from 2015.
Early Life and Background
Gadzhi Kadiomarovich Rabadanov was born in Makhachkala, the capital of the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, and is of Dargin ethnicity. He currently resides in Chelyabinsk, Russia. In his childhood, Rabadanov played football and developed a passion for freestyle wrestling, two activities that helped build the athletic foundation that would later define his combat sports career.
At the age of 17, Rabadanov switched to combat sambo and began training under the legendary Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, the father and coach of former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. This move into combat sambo introduced him to a structured grappling and striking system and gave him his first formal step into the world of mixed martial arts. Following his graduation from high school, he balanced his combat sambo training with study at the Russian Legal Academy, eventually giving martial arts his full attention after his third year of college.
Path to MMA
Rabadanov’s path into professional MMA was built on a strong amateur foundation in combat sambo and wrestling. He developed his craft under Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov before moving to Chelyabinsk to pursue a legal degree, and he claimed a Russian amateur MMA championship in 2015. That same year, he added a WWMMA World Championship gold medal in the -74 kg category at a tournament in Prague, where he defeated current UFC fighters such as Ľudovít Klein and Loik Radzhabov.
During that same Prague tournament, Rabadanov set a record for the fastest finish in amateur MMA history, submitting his opponent in 17 seconds in the opening round. The achievement cemented his reputation as one of the most promising lightweight prospects out of the Dagestan combat sports scene and set the stage for his transition to the professional ranks in 2013.
Gadzhi Rabadanov Career
Early Career (2013–2019)
Rabadanov made his professional MMA debut in February 2013 at the Octagon MMA Warriors 13 event, defeating fellow newcomer Evgeniy Sokha with a kimura in the second round. He went on to compete seven more times across local Russian promotions before stepping onto a bigger stage with Fight Nights Global in 2016, where he successfully fought in six events. In May 2019, he picked up a notable win over former UFC fighter Steven Siler under the PFL banner via unanimous decision, but weight-cutting issues kept him from establishing a regular role with the promotion.
Returning to Russia, Rabadanov signed with Gorilla Fighting Championship and captured the promotion’s Lightweight title on February 9, 2020, at GFC 24, defeating Brazilian fighter Joao Paulo de Moura e Silva by unanimous decision. That championship win positioned him as one of the top lightweights in the Russian MMA circuit and set up a high-profile crossover into an internationally recognized brand.
Eagle Fighting Championship (2020–2021)
After Gorilla Fighting Championship was purchased by Khabib Nurmagomedov and rebranded as Eagle Fighting Championship, Rabadanov remained the lightweight champion under the new banner. His first title defense came against Mehdi Dakaev, a French fighter of Chechen origin, at EFC 30 on December 4, 2020. Dakaev took the belt from Rabadanov by unanimous decision, ending his reign as champion.
Rabadanov bounced back in his next outing, taking a unanimous decision win over Valery Gritsutin at EFC 33 to stop a skid and rebuild his momentum. The performance was enough to attract attention from major international promotions, and he soon signed a contract with Bellator MMA.
Bellator MMA (2021–2023)
Rabadanov made his Bellator debut in style at Bellator 263 on July 31, 2021, knocking out Daniel Carey with a punch in the opening round. He followed that up with a unanimous decision win over Jay-Jay Wilson at Bellator 276 in March 2022 and added another unanimous decision over Bobby King at Bellator 283 in July 2022. Later that year, he competed in the special Bellator MMA vs Rizin co-promoted event and defeated Japanese BJJ specialist Koji Takeda by unanimous decision.
His run with Bellator concluded at Bellator 297 on June 16, 2023, where he outpointed Dutch fighter Pieter Buist by unanimous decision. Across his time with the promotion, Rabadanov built a reputation as a measured, well-rounded fighter capable of finishing opponents with his hands while remaining composed over longer decisions.
PFL Era (2024–Present)
Rabadanov opened his 2024 PFL campaign with a unanimous decision win over Solomon Renfro at PFL 2 on April 12, 2024, before adding another dominant 30-27 unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Elvin Espinoza at PFL 5 in June 2024. He advanced to the 2024 Lightweight Tournament semifinals, where he knocked out Michael Dufort in the second round at PFL 8, then capped off the season with a third-round knockout of Brent Primus in the final at PFL 10 on November 29, 2024, to win the tournament and the $1 million prize.
In 2025, Rabadanov was confirmed as part of the PFL Lightweight Tournament and opened with a first-round knockout of Marc Diakiese at PFL 3 in April 2025. After Jay-Jay Wilson withdrew from their semifinal, Rabadanov stepped in against Kevin Lee at PFL 6 and won by TKO in the first round. His run came to an end in the final at PFL 9 on August 15, 2025, where he dropped a unanimous decision to Alfie Davis.
Driving Style and Strengths
Gadzhi Rabadanov fights from a southpaw stance and combines sharp counterstriking with the grappling instincts he developed through years of combat sambo training under Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. His finishes in the PFL have come almost entirely by knockout, reflecting sharp boxing and timing in his hands, while his southpaw angles and disciplined footwork make him difficult to read in extended exchanges.
Notable Events and Milestones
Rabadanov’s most significant milestone came on November 29, 2024, when he captured the 2024 PFL Lightweight Championship and the $1 million prize with a third-round knockout of Brent Primus. He also set the record for the fastest finish in amateur MMA history with a 17-second submission in 2015, and he holds a 2024 PFL Lightweight Tournament title to go with his earlier WMMAA World Championship gold medal.
Gadzhi Rabadanov Career Wins
Gadzhi Rabadanov has compiled 26 wins across 32 professional MMA bouts, with five losses, and has earned finishes by knockout, submission, and decision at every level of competition. His victories span regional Russian shows, Fight Nights Global, Bellator MMA, Eagle Fighting Championship, and the PFL, with his 2024 PFL Lightweight Tournament title standing as the signature achievement of his career.
PFL Highlights
Rabadanov’s 2024 PFL Lightweight run produced statement wins over Solomon Renfro, Elvin Espinoza, Michael Dufort, and Brent Primus, with his third-round knockout of Primus in the final earning him the title and the $1 million prize. He added two more finishes in 2025, knocking out Marc Diakiese in the first round at PFL 3 and Kevin Lee by TKO in the first round at PFL 6, before falling to Alfie Davis by unanimous decision in the PFL 9 final.
Other Wins & Performances
Beyond the PFL, Rabadanov owns notable wins over Daniel Carey, Jay-Jay Wilson, Bobby King, Koji Takeda, Pieter Buist, former UFC fighter Steven Siler, and Joao Paulo de Moura e Silva, the last of which earned him the Gorilla Fighting Championship Lightweight title. He also captured the WMMAA World Championship in Prague in 2015, highlighted by his record-setting 17-second submission finish in the tournament.
Gadzhi Rabadanov Family
Family Background and Lineage
Public information about Rabadanov’s immediate family is limited, and the available records do not detail specific parents or siblings. He was raised in Makhachkala, in the Republic of Dagestan, and is of Dargin ethnicity, a background shared by many combat athletes from the region who have shaped Russian MMA.
Personal Life
Rabadanov has split his life between his hometown region of Dagestan and Chelyabinsk, Russia, where he currently resides. Outside of training, he completed a legal degree with honors from the Russian Legal Academy, a milestone he achieved while building his professional fighting career.
2025 Season Performance
Gadzhi Rabadanov entered 2025 as the reigning 2024 PFL Lightweight Champion and was officially confirmed for the 2025 PFL Lightweight Tournament in February. He opened the season with a first-round knockout of Marc Diakiese at PFL 3 on April 18, 2025, then replaced an opponent in the semifinal and finished Kevin Lee by TKO in the first round at PFL 6 on June 20, 2025, to advance to another PFL Lightweight Tournament final.
His run ended in the PFL 9 final on August 15, 2025, when he dropped a unanimous decision to Alfie Davis. Despite the loss, the season reinforced his status as one of the PFL’s elite lightweights, having added two more first-round finishes to his record and reached a second straight tournament final.
Looking ahead, Rabadanov continues to train out of American Kickboxing Academy, Eagles MMA, and Mamishev Team, and remains firmly in the PFL Lightweight title picture as a former champion and a two-time tournament finalist.