# Bozigit Ataev

Bazigit Atavovich Atajev (Kumyk: Bozigit Atay Atawnu ulanı, Russian: Бозигит Атавович Атаев; born 3 December 1979) is a Russian mixed martial artist and sanshou kickboxer, who currently competes in the Light Heavyweight division. A professional since 2000, he has competed in RINGS and PRIDE Fighting Championships. He is known for a fierce spinning-heel kick and Sambo style grappling.

## Early life

Bozigit was born in 1979 in the village of Lower Kazanyshy to a Kumyk family. He studied in the famous Dagestan sports-dedicated boarding school "Five Directions of the World".

## Mixed martial arts career

Bozigit started his MMA career in 2000 knocking out Arunas Juskevicius at RINGS Lithuania: Bushido RINGS 1. The following year he won a 16 participant tournament "IAFC Pankration Russian Championship 2001". He got knocked out Roman Zentsov by a spinning wheel kick and Aaron Brink by a spinning back kick, and defeated Tsuyoshi Kohsaka by decision in the same year.

### PRIDE Fighting Championships

Atajev debuted in PRIDE in December 2002 and suffered his only loss against Dutchman Alistair Overeem at PRIDE 24. Atajev planned to make his return to PRIDE at their final event PRIDE 34 against Gilbert Yvel. However, due to a stomach illness, the bout was cancelled.

### Professional Fighters League

Atajev made his debut in North America on 21 June 2018 at PFL 2 against Dan Spohn in Light heavyweight tournaments. He lost the fight by technical knockout in the third round.
In his second fight in the tournament, Atajev faced Sean O'Connell at PFL 7 on 30 August 2018. He won the fight via TKO in the first round.
In the semifinals, Atajev faced Vinny Magalhaes, losing via first-round submission.
In 2019, Atajev fought Dan Spohn in a rematch at PFL 3, winning in via first-round knockout. On 8 August at PFL 6, Atajev fought Emiliano Sordi, losing via first-round knockout. He faced Sordi again in the quarterfinals of the 2019 tournament, losing via rear-naked choke submission in the first round.

## Wushu sanda

Bozigit Ataev is one of three five time Wushu Sanda world champions along with Muslim Salikhov and Mohsen Mohammadseifi. He won world championship in 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2013 and earned silver medal in 2009

## Kickboxing

Bozigit took part in "BARS: Heavyweight Cup Of Gold BARS 2003" kickboxing tournament. He defeated Denis Grigoriev in first round but loss to Eduard Voznovich in final. In 2008, he faced the eventual K-1 champion Remy Bonjasky in his kickboxing debut. He was defeated by knockout early in the third round.

## Championships and accomplishments

* Russian Wushu Championships
** Russian Wushu Champion
* World Wushu Championships
** Five time World Champion
* International Absolute Fighting Council
** IAFC Absolute Fighting Russian Championship Tournament Winner

## Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown :
| 26 matches | 20 wins | 5 losses |
| By knockout | 15 | 3 |
| By submission | 4 | 2 |
| By decision | 1 | 0 |
| Draws | 1 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Loss | 20–5–1 | Emiliano Sordi | Submission (rear-naked choke) | PFL 9 (2019) | October 31, 2019 | 1 | 4:26 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | 2019 PFL Light Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal. |
| Draw | 20–4–1 | Viktor Nemkov | Draw (majority) | PFL 9 (2019) | October 31, 2019 | 2 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | 2019 PFL Light Heavyweight Tournament Quarterfinal. |
| Loss | 20–4 | Emiliano Sordi | KO (punches) | PFL 6 (2019) | August 8, 2019 | 1 | 1:22 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
| Win | 20–3 | Dan Spohn | TKO (punches) | PFL 3 (2019) | June 6, 2019 | 1 | 3:25 | Uniondale, New York, United States | |
| Loss | 19–3 | Vinny Magalhães | Submission (kimura) | PFL 9 (2018) | October 13, 2018 | 1 | 1:58 | Long Beach, California, United States | 2018 PFL Light Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal. |
| Win | 19–2 | Emiliano Sordi | TKO (punches) | PFL 9 (2018) | October 13, 2018 | 1 | 1:43 | Long Beach, California, United States | 2018 PFL Light Heavyweight Tournament Quarterfinal. |
| Win | 18–2 | Sean O'Connell | TKO (spinning back kick and punches) | PFL 7 (2018) | August 30, 2018 | 1 | 3:30 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
| Loss | 17–2 | Dan Spohn | TKO (punches) | PFL 2 (2018) | June 21, 2018 | 3 | 4:31 | Chicago, Illinois, United States | Light Heavyweight debut. |
| Win | 17–1 | Jeremy May | TKO (punches) | Kunlun Fight MMA 10 | April 6, 2017 | 1 | 2:15 | Beijing, China | |
| Win | 16–1 | Valdas Pocevicius | KO (punches) | Bushido FC: Hero's Lithuania 2006 | November 11, 2006 | 1 | 2:02 | Vilnius, Lithuania | |
| Win | 15–1 | Beneilton Pereira da Silva | TKO (punches) | RINGS Russia: CIS vs. The World | August 20, 2005 | 1 | 1:03 | Yekaterinburg, Russia | |
| Win | 14–1 | Mindaugas Kulikauskas | Submission (armbar) | Shooto Lithuania: King of Bushido Stage 1 | November 14, 2003 | 1 | 1:53 | Vilnius, Lithuania | |
| Loss | 13–1 | Alistair Overeem | TKO (knee to the body) | Pride 24 | December 23, 2002 | 2 | 4:59 | Fukuoka, Japan | |
| Win | 13–0 | Kestutis Arbocius | Submission (guillotine choke) | Bushido Rings 5: Shock | November 9, 2002 | 2 | 2:58 | Vilnius, Lithuania | |
| Win | 12–0 | Chris Franco | Submission (neck crank) | Shoot Boxing: S-Cup 2002 | July 7, 2002 | 1 | 2:31 | Yokohama, Japan | |
| Win | 11–0 | Tsuyoshi Kohsaka | Decision (majority) | Rings: World Title Series 5 | December 21, 2001 | 3 | 5:00 | Yokohama, Japan | |
| Win | 10–0 | Aaron Brink | KO (spinning back kick) | Rings: 10th Anniversary | August 11, 2001 | 1 | 1:09 | Tokyo, Japana | |
| Win | 9–0 | Maynard Marcum | KO (punch) | Rings: World Title Series 2 | June 15, 2001 | 1 | 1:08 | Yokohama, Japan | |
| Win | 8–0 | Rolandas Digrys | Submission (armbar) | Rings Lithuania: Bushido Rings 2 | May 8, 2001 | 1 | 0:47 | Vilnius, Lithuania | |
| Win | 7–0 | Dimitar Doichinov | TKO (punches) | Rings Russia: Russia vs. Bulgaria | April 6, 2001 | 1 | 4:12 | Yekaterinburg, Russia | |
| Win | 6–0 | Islam Dadalov | TKO (submission to knees and punches) | IAFC: Pankration Russian Championship 2001 | February 8, 2001 | 1 | 0:48 | Yaroslavl, Russia | Won the IAFC Russian Cup Heavyweight Tournament. |
| Win | 5–0 | Vitali Shkraba | TKO (corner stoppage) | IAFC: Pankration Russian Championship 2001 | February 8, 2001 | 1 | 2:45 | Yaroslavl, Russia | IAFC Russian Cup Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal. |
| Win | 4–0 | Yuri Zhernikov | TKO (submission to punches) | IAFC: Pankration Russian Championship 2001 | February 8, 2001 | 1 | 2:26 | Yaroslavl, Russia | IAFC Russian Cup Heavyweight Tournament Quarterfinal. |
| Win | 3–0 | Tikhon Gladkov | TKO (punches) | IAFC: Pankration Russian Championship 2001 | February 8, 2001 | 1 | 1:41 | Yaroslavl, Russia | IAFC Russian Cup Heavyweight Tournament Round of 16. |
| Win | 2–0 | Arunas Juskevicius | KO (punches) | Rings Lithuania: Bushido Rings 1 | October 24, 2000 | 1 | 0:14 | Vilnius, Lithuania | |
| Win | 1–0 | Vasilin Bazhirov | TKO (punches) | Rings Russia: Russia vs. Bulgaria | May 21, 2000 | 1 | N/A | Tula, Russia | Heavyweight debut. |

## Kickboxing record (incomplete)

Professional kickboxing record :
| 1 wins, 2 loss, 0 draw |||||||||
| Date | Result | Opponent | Event | Location | Method | Round | Time | Record |
| 2008-7-13 | Loss | Remy Bonjasky | K-1 World GP 2008 in Taipei | Taipei City, Taiwan | KO (jumping knee strike) | 3 | 2:17 | 1-2 |
| 2003-06-25 | Loss | Eduard Voznovich | BARS: Heavyweight Cup Of Gold BARS 2003 | Moscow, Russia | Decision | 5 | 3:00 | 1-1 |
| 2003-06-25 | Win | Denis Grigoriev | BARS: Heavyweight Cup Of Gold BARS 2003 | Moscow, Russia | Decision | 5 | 3:00 | 1-0 |