Eagle Fighting Championship
Eagle Fighting Championship (EFC), commonly referred to as Eagle FC, is a mixed martial arts promotion company established in 2020 by former UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. It was renamed to Eagle Fighting Championship (EFC) after Khabib bought Gorilla Fighting Championship (GFC) for $1 million.[1][2]
Current season, competition or edition:![]() | |
![]() | |
Formerly | Federation of MMA of Samara (FMMAS) Gorilla Fighting Championship (GFC) |
---|---|
Sport | Mixed martial arts |
Founded | May 2017 (FMMAS/GFC) Dec 2020 (EFC) |
Owner(s) | Khabib Nurmagomedov Rizvan Magomedov Shamil Zavurov |
History
In November 2020, Khabib Nurmagomedov bought the Russian MMA promotion Gorilla Fighting Championship (formerly known as Federation of MMA of Samara), for $1 million and renamed it to Eagle Fighting Championship (EFC).[3][4]
GFC had been in the industry since 2017 and was on the edge of bankruptcy. When Nurmagomedov retired, he acquired the promotion and became the promoter.
EFC held their first event in the USA on January 28, 2022 in Miami, Florida.[5][6][7]
Weight divisions
Weight class name | Upper limit | |
---|---|---|
Before 2022 | After 2022[8] | |
Flyweight | 125 lb (56.7 kg) | 125 lb (56.7 kg) |
Bantamweight | 135 lb (61.2 kg) | 135 lb (61.2 kg) |
Featherweight | 145 lb (65.8 kg) | 145 lb (65.8 kg) |
Lightweight | 155 lb (70.3 kg) | 155 lb (70.3 kg) |
Super lightweight | N/A | 165 lb (74.8 kg)[9] |
Welterweight | 170 lb (77.1 kg) | 175 lb (79.4 kg) |
Middleweight | 185 lb (83.9 kg) | 185 lb (83.9 kg) |
Light heavyweight | N/A | 205 lb (93.0 kg) |
Heavyweight | 265 lb (120.2 kg) | 265 lb (120.2 kg) |
Events
Scheduled events
Event | Date | Venue | Location | Country |
---|---|---|---|---|
Eagle FC 47: Dos Santos vs. De Castro | May 20, 2022 | FLX Arena | Miami, Florida | U.S |
Past events
Event Title | Date | Arena | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Eagle FC 46: Lee vs. Sanchez | March 11, 2022 | FLX Arena | Miami, Florida, U.S. |
Eagle FC 45: Busurmankul vs. Magomedov | February 18, 2022 | Crocus Expo | Moscow, Russia |
Eagle FC 44: Spong vs. Kharitonov | January 28, 2022 | FLX Arena | Miami, Florida, U.S |
EFC 43 | December 10, 2021 | Moscow, Russia | |
EFC 42 | October 17, 2021 | WOW Arena | Sochi, Russia |
EFC 41/AMC Fight Nights | September 17, 2021 | Crocus Expo Arena | Moscow, Russia |
EFC 40 | September 04, 2021 | Sport Complex Jubilee | Almetyevsk, Russia |
EFC 39 | August 22, 2021 | Nizhny Novgorod, Russia | |
EFC 38 | August 03, 2021 | Issyk Kul, Kyrgyzstan | |
EFC 37 | August 22, 2021 | Almaty Arena | Almaty, Kazakhstan |
EFC champions
Championship history
Heavyweight Championship
206 to 265 lb (93 to 120 kg)
No. | Name | Event | Date | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() def. Alexander Soldatkin |
Battle on Volga 4 Samara, Russia |
May 11, 2018 |
1. def. Yuriy Protzenko at Battle on Volga 8 on December 14, 2018 |
Current | ![]() |
GFC 16 Astrakhan, Russia |
August 30, 2019 |
1. def. Vladimir Dayneko at EFC 31 on December 20, 2020 |
Middleweight Championship
171 to 185 lb (77 to 84 kg)
No. | Name | Event | Date | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() def. Alberto Uda |
GFC 11 Penza, Russia |
May 03, 2019 |
1. def. Jhonny Carlos at GFC 16 on August 30, 2019 |
Fakhretdinov vacated when he chose to test the free agency | ||||
Current | ![]() def. Sergey Kalinin |
EFC 33 Moscow, Russia |
February 09, 2021 | 1. def. Enoc Solves Torres at EFC 43 on December 10, 2021 |
Welterweight Championship
166 to 175 lb (75 to 79 kg)
No. | Name | Event | Date | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() def. Aleksey Novikov |
GFC 16 Astrakhan, Russia |
August 30, 2019 | 1. def. Rashid Koychakaev at EFC 31 on December 20, 2020 |
Umalatov vacated on May 2020 when he signed with PFL | ||||
Current | ![]() def. Maxim Shvets |
EFC 41 Moscow, Russia |
September 17, 2021 |
Lightweight Championship
146 to 155 lb (66 to 70 kg)
No. | Name | Event | Date | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() def. Timur Gilimzyanov |
Battle on Volga 10 Toliatti, Russia |
April 14, 2019 | |
2 | ![]() |
GFC 18 Samara, Russia |
October 06, 2019 | |
3 | ![]() |
GFC 29 Samara, Russia |
October 16, 2020 | |
Saidjamolov vacated when he signed with Brave Combat Federation | ||||
Current | ![]() def. Gadzhi Rabadanov |
EFC 30 Moscow, Russia |
December 04, 2020 |
1. def. Uzair Abdurakov at EFC 35 on April 06, 2021 |
Featherweight Championship
136 to 145 lb (61 to 66 kg)
No. | Name | Event | Date | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() def. Mark Volkov |
Battle on Volga 6 Samara, Russia |
September 23, 2018 |
1. def. Ivan Zhvirblia at Battle on Volga 8 on December 14, 2018 |
2 | ![]() |
Battle on Volga 10 Toliatti, Russia |
April 14, 2019 | |
3 | ![]() |
EFC 30 Moscow, Russia |
December 4, 2020 | |
4 | ![]() |
EFC 35 Moscow, Russia |
April 06, 2021 | |
Current | ![]() |
EFC 38 Issyk Kul, Kyrgyzstan |
August 3, 2021 | |
- | ![]() def. Abdurakhman Gitinovasov for Interim Title |
EFC 45 Moscow, Russia |
February 18, 2022 |
Bantamweight Championship
126 to 135 lb (57 to 61 kg)
No. | Name | Event | Date | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() def. Fatkhidin Sobirov |
Battle on Volga 4 Samara, Russia |
May 11, 2018 |
1. def. Wagner Lima at Battle on Volga 10 on April 14, 2019 |
Title was vacated when Nurmagomedov signed with the UFC | ||||
2 | ![]() def. Ruslan Sariev |
EFC 33 Moscow, Russia |
February 09, 2021 | |
Title was vacated on March 2021 when Malachiev moved down to Flyweight | ||||
Current | ![]() def. Sharapudin Magomedov |
EFC 34 Krasnodar, Russia |
March 19, 2021 | 1. def. Patrizio de Souza at EFC 42 on October 17, 2021 |
Flyweight Championship
116 to 125 lb (53 to 57 kg)
No. | Name | Event | Date | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() def. Denis Araujo |
Battle on Volga 6 Samara, Russia |
September 23, 2018 | |
Bagautinov vacated the title when he signed for the Fight Nights Global. | ||||
2 | ![]() def. Aleksandr Podlesniy |
GFC 11 Penza, Russia |
May 03, 2019 |
1. def. Denis Araujo at GFC 17 on September 27, 2019 |
Ulanbekov vacated the title when he signed for the UFC. | ||||
Current | ![]() def. Rashid Vagabov |
EFC 38 Issyk Kul, Kyrgyzstan |
August 03, 2021 |
Women's Bantamweight Championship
126 pounds (57 kg) to 135 pounds (61 kg)
No. | Name | Event | Date | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() def. Karina Vasilenko |
Battle on Volga 4 Samara, Russia |
May 11, 2018 |
1. def. Zaira Dyshekova at Battle on Volga 10 on April 14, 2019 |
Federation of MMA of Samara becomes GFC. The title was subsequently deactivated |
Women's Flyweight Championship
116 pounds (53 kg) to 125 pounds (57 kg)
No. | Name | Event | Date | Defenses |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() def. Aygul Kuzu Abduvakhid |
GFC 18 Samara, Russia |
October 06, 2019 | |
GFC becomes EFC. The title was subsequently deactivated |
Notable athletes and alumni
- Kevin Lee: Former UFC interim Lightweight Championship Contender[11]
- Renan Barão: Former UFC Bantamweight Champion[12]
- Rashad Evans: Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion[13]
- Antônio Silva: Former UFC Heavyweight Fighter[14]
- Junior dos Santos< former UFC Heavyweight Champion[15]
- Ray Borg: Former UFC Flyweight Title Challenger[16]
- Umar Nurmagomedov: Current UFC Bantamweight and cousin of Eagle FC founder Khabib Nurmagomedov. Former Bantamweight Champion of GFC[17]
- Usman Nurmagomedov[18][19]
Reference
- "Nurmagomedov's Eagle FC to land in U.S. in 2022". ESPN.com. 2021-11-29. Retrieved 2021-12-16.
- Mckeever, Lewis (December 4, 2020). "Khabib launches Eagle Fighting Championships, hopes to strike deal with UFC". Bloody Elbow. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- Ellis, Jordan. "REPORT | Khabib Nurmagomedov Buys Fight Promotion For $1 Million". Retrieved 2021-12-15.
- "Нурмагомедов объяснил, зачем купил промоушен GFC за $ 1 млн". championat. 2 December 2020.
- "Khabib Nurmagomedov bringing his Eagle FC promotion to Miami in January". MMA Junkie. 2021-11-29. Retrieved 2021-12-15.
- "Spong-Silva headlines Eagle FC's debut in U.S." ESPN.com. 2021-12-06. Retrieved 2021-12-15.
- Martin, Damon (2022-01-28). "Eagle FC 44 results: Rashad Evans makes successful return from retirement with dominant win over Gabriel Checco". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
- MMA Mania
- ESPN
- Sherdog.com. "Eagle Fighting Championship Fights, Fight Cards, Videos, Pictures, Events and more". Sherdog. Retrieved 2021-12-17.
- Martin, Damon (2021-12-15). "Former UFC fighter Kevin Lee signs with Khabib Nurmagomedov's Eagle FC". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2021-12-15.
- Martin, Damon (2021-12-13). "Ex-UFC champ Renan Barao faces Horacio Gutierrez at Eagle FC 44 in January". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
- "Rashad Evans to Return from retirement at Eagle FC 44". MMA Sucka. 2021-12-08. Retrieved 2021-12-17.
- Cruz, Guilherme (2021-12-16). "'Bigfoot' Silva: 'I have no idea' why I'm out of Eagle FC main event; Eagle FC issues statement". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2021-12-17.
- "Junior dos Santos books May 20 Eagle FC debut". ESPN.com. 2022-03-09. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
- Sherdog.com. "Ray". Sherdog. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
- "Umar Nurmagomedov | MMA Fighter Page". Tapology. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
- "Bellator MMA". www.bellator.com. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
- "Usman Nurmagomedov | MMA Fighter Page". Tapology. Retrieved 2022-01-31.