Shukurjon Abdurakhimov
Middleweight/Light-Heavyweight
7-0-0
31-years-old
Fighting out of Fergana, Uzbekistan, Shukurjon Abdurakhimov has quietly risen as a premier regional fighter over the past two years. The current ATF middleweight champion recently made the jump to Mangu Professional League for a brief two-fight stint across February and April. Successful in both appearances, Abdurakhimov made the biggest splash of his career when he finished Dushan Burale in the first round at Mangu Professional League 2.
It’s another short turnaround for Abdurakhimov come June 11. He’ll return home to defend his ATF middleweight title in what will be his third fight in four months. There hasn’t been much need for time off during Abdurakhimov’s young career, as he’s finished six of his seven opponents, all of them coming inside the first two rounds.
This time around, it will be Zhasulan Khassimov standing in the way of Shukurjon Abdurakhimov. Khassimov has had an up-and-down stretch in his career, surprisingly returning to the cage after a four year layoff. It’s a significant downgrade in competition compared to Abdurakhimov’s recent opposition, as his prior three opponents held a combined record of 15-5. Somewhat of an uncharacteristic booking, though we’ll likely see Shukurjon Abdurakhimov extend his winning streak.
A representative of Cowboy Fight Club, Abdurakhimov possesses a technical kickboxing style. He throws a whipping low kick that kills the balance and movement of quicker opponents. Oftentimes, the Uzbek fighter plots forward, peppering the lead leg of his opponent before letting go with surprisingly fast hands. His comfort level is high, and there’s serious power in Abdurakhimov’s right hand. Dushan Burale was just the latest victim, but over his seven-fight career, Abdurakhimov has punished several willing strikers.
He brings a wise approach to the cage, using feints to set up his offense while mixing in slick takedowns to control the fight. On the ground, Abdurakhimov’s grappling is dominant. In a five-round battle against Islom Boltayev in December, Abdurakhimov found a fourth-round kimura to earn the title. His cardio showed positive signs as well, with the Uzbek fighter looking fairly fresh before finding the submission.
While a little bit on the older side, I believe there is still plenty to like with Shukurjon Abdurakhimov. He’s moving fast, staying active, and has secured six victories from May 2025 to April 2026. If he remains active and the competition improves, Abdurakhimov could have a quick rise to MMA relevance.
