# Abdul-Kerim Edilov

Abdul-Kerim Edilov (25 November 1991 – 29 December 2022) was a Russian mixed martial artist who competed in the Light Heavyweight division. Notably associated with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Edilov was also known for his close ties to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, having served as the Chechnya's Vice-Premier and Minister of Sports.
Edilov died in December 2022, with the circumstances of his death attracting attention and discussion.

## Early life

Edilov was born on November 25, 1991, in the Chechnya, Russia.

## Mixed Martial Arts

Edilov began his mixed martial arts career in the early 2010s. Initially scheduled to debut in the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2016, Edilov faced a setback due to a 15-month suspension by the UFC after testing positive for meldonium, a banned substance.
Edilov made a successful UFC debut in 2017, defeating Bojan Mihajlovic by a second-round technical knockout (TKO). In 2018, Edilov left the UFC, reportedly requesting his release to join Absolute Championships Akhmat (ACA), a promotion formed from the merger of several organizations.

## Relationship with Ramzan Kadyrov

Edilov was associated with Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Chechnya. In his political career, Edilov served as deputy prime minister of Chechnya. In September 2022, allegations of drug use surfaced, leading to speculation about Edilov's standing within Kadyrov's inner circle. Following these allegations, Edilov's public appearances and social media activity significantly diminished.
On 23 November 2022, it was officially announced that Edilov had resigned from his position as deputy prime minister, a decision stated to be made "at his own initiative". The lack of clarity surrounding the circumstances of his resignation and subsequent reduction in public visibility contributed to rumors about a potential estrangement from Kadyrov.

## Death

Edilov died under mysterious circumstances at the age of 31 in December 2022. His death was reported by Chechen opposition movements, leading to speculation about the cause and manner of his death.

## Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown :
| 21 matches | 17 wins | 4 losses |
| By knockout | 9 | 0 |
| By submission | 7 | 3 |
| By decision | 1 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Win | 17–4 | Bojan Mihajlović | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Struve | September 2, 2017 | 2 | 2:32 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | |
| Win | 16–4 | Leonardo Gosling | TKO (leg kicks) | WFCA 3 | June 13, 2015 | 1 | 0:36 | Grozny, Russia | |
| Win | 15–4 | Tiago Mônaco Tosato | Submission (rear-naked choke) | WFCA 1 | March 14, 2015 | 1 | 2:28 | Grozny, Russia | |
| Win | 14–4 | Gilliard Alfredo Fagundes | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Fight Nights: Battle of Moscow 18 | December 20, 2014 | 1 | 0:50 | Moscow, Russia | |
| Win | 13–4 | Cristhian Torres | Submission (rear-naked choke) | ACB 10 | October 4, 2014 | 1 | 1:42 | Grozny, Russia | |
| Win | 12–4 | Fernando Almeida | Decision (unanimous) | ACB 9 | June 22, 2014 | 1 | 2:17 | Grozny, Russia | |
| Win | 11–4 | Lahat Faye | TKO (punch and soccer kick) | Fight Nights: Battle of Moscow 15 | March 28, 2014 | 1 | 1:35 | Moscow, Russia | |
| Win | 10–4 | Pavel Tretyakov | TKO (punches) | Fight Nights: Krepost Selection 3 | February 15, 2014 | 1 | 2:28 | Moscow, Russia | |
| Win | 9–4 | Michał Gutowski | TKO (punches) | Fight Nights: Battle on Terek | October 4, 2013 | 1 | 0:37 | Grozny, Russia | |
| Win | 8–4 | Radjabov Sohib | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Cage Warriors 58 | August 24, 2013 | 1 | 0:45 | Grozny, Russia | Catchweight (210 lb) bout. |
| Win | 7–4 | Jiří Procházka | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Fight Nights: Battle of Moscow 12 | June 20, 2013 | 1 | 1:56 | Moscow, Russia | |
| Loss | 6–4 | Charles Andrade | Submission (guillotine choke) | Fight Nights: Battle of Moscow 11 | April 20, 2013 | 1 | 0:58 | Moscow, Russia | |
| Win | 6–3 | Nicholas Boyarchuk | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Fight Nights: Battle of Moscow 9 | December 16, 2012 | 1 | 1:14 | Moscow, Russia | |
| Win | 5–3 | Gadzhimurad Antigulov | TKO (punches) | Dictator FC 1 | June 28, 2012 | 1 | 2:28 | Moscow, Russia | |
| Loss | 4–3 | Viktor Nemkov | Decision (unanimous) | League S-70: Russian Grand Prix 2011 (Stage 3) | April 6, 2012 | 3 | 5:00 | Moscow, Russia | |
| Win | 4–2 | Alexander Grebenkin | TKO (punches) | ProFC 22 | December 17, 2010 | 1 | 2:40 | Rostov-on-Don, Russia | |
| Win | 3–2 | Murad Kamilov | TKO (punches) | ProFC 19: Cup of Russia 2010 Stage 1 | November 13, 2010 | 1 | 1:30 | Taganrog, Russia | Won the 2010 ProFC Light Heavyweight Tournament. |
| Win | 2–2 | Dmitriy Surnev | Submission (triangle choke) | ProFC 19: Cup of Russia 2010 Stage 1 | November 13, 2010 | 1 | 2:36 | Taganrog, Russia | 2010 ProFC Light Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal. |
| Loss | 1–2 | Abdurakhman Nurmagomedov | Technical Submission (triangle choke) | Golden Fist of Russia 1 | June 10, 2010 | 1 | 1:59 | Moscow, Russia | Light Heavyweight debut. |
| Win | 1–1 | Igor Saveliev | Decision (unanimous) | M-1 Selection 2010: Eastern Europe Round 2 | April 10, 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Kyiv, Ukraine | |
| Loss | 0–1 | Stanislav Molodtsov | Submission (armbar) | Atrium Pankration Cup 2010 | March 10, 2010 | 1 | 2:11 | Moscow, Russia | Middleweight debut. |