Muslim Salikhov

Muslim Salikhov
Muslim Salikhov
Born	Muslim Magomedovich Salikhov; June 9, 1984 (age 42); Buynaksk, Dagestan, Russia
Occupation(s)	Mixed martial artist, Wushu Sanda practitioner
Years active	2011–present
Known for	Multiple-time world champion in Wushu Sanda; UFC Welterweight competitor

Muslim Magomedovich Salikhov (, ; born June 9, 1984) is a Russian professional athlete specializing in mixed martial arts and Sanda, currently competing in the Welterweight category within the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As a multiple-time world champion in Wushu Sanda, Salikhov stands as one of the only two non-Chinese fighters to have captured the prestigious Wushu Sanda King's Cup, alongside Hossein Ojaghi.

Early life

Born in Buynaksk, Dagestan, Muslim Salikhov is of Kumyk heritage. He embarked on his journey in Wushu Sanda in 1995 while attending the Five Directions of the World, an institution recognized for integrating academic education with martial arts instruction.

Wushu Sanda

At the 2003 World Wushu Championships held in Macau, Salikhov faced off against Liu Hailong, famously dubbed the "King of Sanda," narrowly missing victory in a tightly contested match. He secured the Sanshou championship at the 2004 European Wushu Championships in Moscow and went on to claim the World Championship title in 2005.

In 2006, Salikhov made history as the first non-Chinese competitor to win the international "King of Sanda" tournament hosted in Chongqing. He added to his accolades by winning world titles again in 2007 and 2009, accumulating five gold medals at the World Wushu Championships. His achievements also include a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Wushu Tournament and podium finishes at both the 2009 World Games and World Combat Games.

Salikhov is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished athletes in Wushu Sanda history.

Early career

Launching his professional MMA career in July 2011, Salikhov recorded two victories and one defeat within his first eighteen months.

M-1 Global

In early 2013, he signed with M-1 Global and prepared for his MMA debut training with Phuket Top Team. Throughout three fights under this promotion, Salikhov maintained an undefeated record.

Other promotions

Beginning in 2015, Salikhov competed across various regional circuits in China and Russia, achieving seven consecutive wins, six of which were by knockout. Among these was a notable spinning hook kick knockout against UFC and Bellator veteran Melvin Guillard.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

On October 19, 2017, Salikhov joined the ranks of the UFC. His debut took place at UFC Fight Night 122 on November 25, 2017, where he faced Alex Garcia, suffering a loss via second-round submission.

Scheduled to fight Abdul Razak Alhassan at UFC on FOX 29 on April 14, 2018, Salikhov instead competed against promotional newcomer Ricky Rainey due to Alhassan’s injury. He secured victory by technical knockout in the second round.

In July 2018, Salikhov encountered a potential doping violation flagged by USADA but was ultimately cleared in March 2019 after evidence failed to conclusively determine the timing of substance ingestion.

At UFC 242 on September 7, 2019, Salikhov earned a first-round knockout over Nordine Taleb, receiving a Performance of the Night bonus. He followed this with a unanimous decision win against Laureano Staropoli at UFC on ESPN+ 20 in October 2019.

A bout planned against Niko Price for April 2020 was canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Returning at UFC 251 on July 11, 2020, Salikhov won via split decision over Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos.

He was scheduled to face Cláudio Silva at UFC Fight Night 180 in October 2020 but withdrew for undisclosed reasons. A January 2021 matchup with Santiago Ponzinibbio was also called off after Salikhov contracted COVID-19.

In June 2021 at UFC Fight Night 189, Salikhov defeated Francisco Trinaldo by unanimous decision. A fight set with Michel Pereira for January 2022 was canceled following Salikhov’s withdrawal.

On July 16, 2022, he suffered a second-round technical knockout loss to Li Jingliang at UFC on ABC 3. He bounced back with a third-round technical knockout victory over André Fialho at UFC Fight Night 215 in November that year, earning another Performance of the Night accolade.

In June 2023 at UFC on ESPN 47, Salikhov lost by unanimous decision to Nicolas Dalby. A bout scheduled for December 2023 against Randy Brown was postponed due to Brown’s illness but rescheduled for UFC Fight Night 235 in February 2024 where Salikhov suffered a first-round knockout defeat.

Salikhov claimed a split decision win over Santiago Ponzinibbio at UFC on ESPN 59 in July 2024. Later that year, he delivered a first-round spinning wheel kick knockout against Song Kenan at UFC Fight Night 248, securing yet another Performance of the Night bonus.

On July 26, 2025, Salikhov defeated Carlos Leal Miranda by first-round knockout at UFC on ABC 9, marking his fourth Performance of the Night honor within the promotion.

Mixed martial arts

Ultimate Fighting Championship
- Performance of the Night (Awarded four times)

Muay Thai

WBC Muay Thai
- WBC Muaythai International Challenge Cruiserweight Champion

Wushu - Sanda

Kung Fu King Tournament
- Champion of the 2006 KFK Tournament (80kg)
- Runner-up in the 2009 KFK Tournament (80kg)

World Wushu Championship
- Titles earned in 2015, 2011, 2009, 2007, and 2005 World Wushu Championships; also winner at the 2008 Beijing Wushu Tournament
- Second place at the 2013 World Wushu Championships

Sanda World Cup
- Champion of the 3rd Sanda World Cup

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record in Sanda and kickboxing (partial)

|- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2017-07-16 || Victory || align=left | Fang Qingquan || Fight King International Championship Final || Lantian, China || Decision (Unanimous) || 3 || 3:00 | |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2016-12-10 || Victory || align=left | Nuerla Mulali || Kunlun Fight 55 80 kg Tournament Reserve Match || Qingdao, China || KO (Spinning Backfist) || 2 || 2:00 | |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2016-01-31 || Victory || align=left | Fu Gaofeng || Changbai Mountain Hero 2016 || Jilin, China || Decision (Unanimous) || 3 || 3:00 | |- bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 2014-01-11 || Defeat || align=left | Nuerla Mulali || Hongdu Real Estate & Qiancheng Group Championship || Dalian, China || Decision (Unanimous) || 3 || 3:00 | |- bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 2012-12-31 || Defeat || align=left | Xu Yi || Wu Lin Feng Global Kung Fu Festival || Beijing, China || Decision (Unanimous) || 3 || 3:00 | |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2012-01-01 || Victory || align=left | Li Baoming || Ultimate Fighter 2012 || Changsha, China || Decision (Unanimous) || 3 || 3:00 | |- bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 2011-10-22|| Defeat|| align=left | Fu Gaofeng|| Shandong Heroes 2011|| Yantai, China|| Decision (Unanimous)||3||3:00 | |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2011-06-18|| Victory|| align=left | Li Baoming|| WBC Muaythai China Championships|| Hunan, China|| Decision (Unanimous)||3||3:00 | ! style=background:white colspan=9 | | |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2011-04-23|| Victory|| align=left | Guo Qiang|| WBC Muaythai China Championships|| Nanning, China|| KO||2|| | |- bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 2011-01-18|| Defeat|| align=left | Fu Jiachun|| 2011 China vs Russia Sanshou Tournament -80 kg|| Harbin, China|| Decision (Unanimous)||3||3:00 | |- bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |2009-07-17|| Defeat|| align=left | Steve McKinnon||1st World Kung Fu King Championship (75–90 kg), Quarterfinals||Guangzhou, China|| Decision (Unanimous)||5||5:00 | |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |2009-06-26|| Victory|| align=left | Stéphane Attelly||1er Gala International Multi-boxes||Paris, France|||| | |- bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |2009-03-14|| Defeat|| align=left | Yu Jin||4th Kung Fu King Tournament Finals (80kg)||Chongqing, China|| KO||2|| | ! style=background:white colspan=9 | | |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |2009-03-14|| Victory|| align=left | Xu Jiaheng||4th Kung Fu King Tournament Semi Finals||Chongqing, China|| Decision (Unanimous)||3||3:00 | |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |2009-03-12|| Victory|| align=left | Yang Yuanfei||4th Kung Fu King Tournament Quarter Finals||Chongqing, China|| KO||2|| | |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |2009-03-10|| Victory|| align=left | Eduardo Bernadette Filho||4th Kung Fu King Tournament Round of 16||Chongqing, China|| KO||2|| | |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |2007-08-01|| Victory|| align=left | Fang Bian||2007 China vs Russia Sanshou Tournament -80 kg||Harbin, China|| Decision (Unanimous)||3||3:00 | |- bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |2007-03-23|| Defeat|| align=left | Bai Jinbin||2nd Kung Fu King Tournament Semi Finals||Chongqing, China|| Decision (Unanimous)||3||3:00 | |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |2006-02-26|| Victory|| align=left | Gele Qing||1st Kung Fu King Tournament Finals (80kg)||Chongqing, China|| Decision (Unanimous)||3||3:00 |

Sanda amateur record (partial)

|- |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2015-11-17 || Victory || align=left| Fu Gaofeng || 13th World Wushu Championships, Final Round || Jakarta, Indonesia || Judges' Decision || 3 || 2:00 |- |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2015-11-17 || Victory || align=left| Bagdat Kenzhetayev || 13th World Wushu Championships, Semi Final || Jakarta, Indonesia || Judges' Decision || 3 || 2:00 |- |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2015-11-17 || Victory || align=left| Moumou Abdelhakim || 13th World Wushu Championships, Quarter Final || Jakarta, Indonesia || Judges' Decision || 3 || 2:00 |- |- bgcolor="#FFBBBB" | 2013-11-05 || Defeat || align=left| Amir Fazli || 12th World Wushu Championships, Final Round || Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia || Decision (2–1) by Judges || 3 || 2:00 |- |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2013-11-04 || Victory || align=left| Alejandro Cisne || 12th World Wushu Championships, Semi Final || Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia || Decision (2–0) by Judges || 2 || 2:00 |- |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2013-11-03 || Victory || align=left| Mergen Bilyalov || 12th World Wushu Championships, Quarter Final || Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia || Decision (2–0) by Judges || 2 || 2:00 |- |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2013-11-02 || Victory || align=left| Rolich Vadzim || 12th World Wushu Championships, Round of 16 || Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia || Decision (2–0) by Judges|| 2|| 2:00 |- |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2013-10-26 || Victory || align=left| Nacereddine Zemmal || 2nd World Combat Games, Championship Match|| Saint Petersburg, Russia || |- |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2013-10-25|| Victory|| align=left| Ashraf Mohamed Abdelgawad Abdelhamid|| 2nd World Combat Games, Semi Final|| Saint Petersburg, Russia || |- |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2011-10-15|| Victory|| align=left| Abdelhamid El-Sayad||11th World Wushu Championships, Final Round|| Ankara, Turkey|| Decision (2–0) by Judges|| 2|| 2:00 |- |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" | 2011-10-14|| Victory|| align=left| Nacereddine Zemmal||11th World Wushu Championships, Semi Final|| Ankara, Turkey|| Decision (2–0) by Judges|| 2|| 2:00 |- |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |2011-10-12|| Victory|| align=left| Velaz Miguel||11th World Wushu Championships, Quarter Final|| Ankara, Turkey|| Decision (2–0) by Judges|| 2|| 2:00 |- |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |2011-10-11|| Victory|| align=left| Salvador Gajardo Lopez||11th World Wushu Championships, Round of 16|| Ankara, Turkey|| Absolute Victory|| |- |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |2011-10-11|| Victory|| align=left| Amir Fazli||11th World Wushu Championships, Round of 32|| Ankara, Turkey|| Decision (2–0) by Judges|| 2|| 2:00 |- |- bgcolor="#FFBBBB" |2010-08-28|| Defeat||align=left| Xu Jiaheng||1st World Combat Games, Semi Final|| Beijing, China|| Decision (2–1) by Judges||3||2:00 |- |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |2009-10-30|| Victory|| align=left| Hamid Reza Gholipour||10th World Wushu Championships, Final Round|| Toronto, Canada|| Decision (2–0) by Judges||2||2:00 |- |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |2009-10-28|| Victory|| align=left| Xu Jiaheng||10th World Wushu Championships, Semi Final|| Toronto, Canada|| Decision (2–0) by Judges||2||2:00 |- |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |2009-10-27|| Victory|| align=left| Igor Kolacin||10th World Wushu Championships, Quarter Final|| Toronto, Canada|| Decision (2–0) by Judges||2||2:00 |- |- bgcolor="#CCFFCC" |2009-10-26|| Victory|| align=left| Masood Rahimi||10th World Wushu Championships, Round of 16|| Toronto, Canada|| Absolute Victory|| |}

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