Mairbek Taisumov

Mairbek Vakhaievich Taisumov (; born August 8, 1988) is a Russian-born Austrian mixed martial artist. He fights in the lightweight division. A professional mixed martial artist since 2007, Taisumov has previously competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and M-1 Global.

Early and personal life Taisumov was born on August 8, 1988, in Grozny, the capital of the modern-day Chechen Republic of Russia. He is from the Yalkhoy (Biytro gar) teip (clan). He fights out of Vienna, Austria, and trains at MMA Vienna and Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, Thailand. He started his sporting career as a football player before realizing fighting was his true passion and devoting his career to martial arts. He made his professional MMA debut in 2007. He is a devout Sunni Muslim. In July 2018, Taisumov got a Moroccan citizenship to aid him in getting a U.S. visa.

Mixed martial arts career

M-1 Global Taisumov spent much of his career fighting for M-1 Global. He made his M-1 Global debut against Borys Mankowski on February 5, 2010, winning via TKO in the second round.

Taisumov knocked out Julien Boussuge in the first round on May 29, 2010, at M-1 Selection 2010: Western Europe Round 3.

Taisumov submitted Serhiy Adamchuk in the first round on July 22, 2010, to win the M-1 Selection 2010: Eastern Europe Tournament.

Taisumov was poked in the eye by Artem Damkovsky in the third round of a M-1 Global Lightweight Championship bout on October 28, 2010, and lost via doctor stoppage.

Taisumov defeated M-1 veteran Yuri Ivlev by second-round TKO on March 5, 2011, at M-1 Challenge 23.

Taisumov knocked out Josh Bacallao in the first round on July 8, 2011, at M-1 Challenge 26.

Taisumov knocked out Joshua Thorpe in the second round on November 20, 2011, at M-1 Global: Fedor vs Monson.

Taisumov lost a split decision to Marat Gafurov on June 21, 2012, at M-1 Global: Fedor vs Rizzo.

Taisumov was expected to face Musa Khamanaev for the M-1 Global Lightweight Championship on November 15, 2012, at M-1 Challenge 35. The bout was cancelled for unknown reasons. Taisumov instead faced Leon Del Gaudio, whom he submitted in the first round.

Taisumov made Niko Puhakka submit to first-round leg kicks on June 8, 2013, at M-1 Challenge 40.

In his final M-1 Global bout, Taisumov submitted Artem Damkovsky in the third round of a rematch on November 30, 2013, at M-1 Challenge 44.

Ultimate Fighting Championship Taisumov made his UFC debut against Tae Hyun Bang on January 4, 2014, at UFC Fight Night 34, winning a dominant unanimous decision.

Taisumov was expected to face UFC veteran Gleison Tibau on March 23, 2014, at UFC Fight Night 38. Tibau pulled out of the bout due to a knee injury and was replaced by Michel Prazeres, who won a dominant unanimous decision.

Taisumov beat newcomer Marcin Bandel by first-round TKO on October 4, 2014, at UFC Fight Night 53.

Taisumov was expected to face Yan Cabral on January 24, 2015, at UFC on Fox 14. Cabral pulled out of the fight due to a knee injury and was replaced by promotional newcomer Anthony Christodoulou, who Taisumov knocked out in the second round.

His contract up, Taisumov announced a new five-fight contract on Twitter on February 8, 2015.

Taisumov beat Alan Patrick by second-round TKO on June 20, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 69, earning a "Performance of the Night" bonus of $50,000.

Taisumov was expected to face Beneil Dariush on January 17, 2016, at UFC Fight Night 81. Dariush pulled out of the fight in early December citing injury and was replaced by Chris Wade. However, Taisumov was removed from the fight over reported visa issues and was replaced by Mehdi Baghdad.

Taisumov beat promotional newcomer Damir Hadžović by TKO on April 10, 2016, at UFC Fight Night 86, earning his second $50,000 "Performance of the Night" bonus.

Taisumov was expected to face Nik Lentz at UFC 203 on September 10, 2016. However, Taisumov was removed from the fight during the week before the event over reported visa issues and was replaced by promotional newcomer Michael McBride.

Taisumov was expected to face Joaquim Silva on May 28, 2017, at UFC Fight Night 109. However, Taisumov pulled out of the fight on May 16 citing a knee injury. He was replaced by Reza Madadi.

Taisumov faced UFC newcomer Felipe Silva on September 2, 2017, at UFC Fight Night: Struve vs. Volkov. He won the fight by knockout in the first round. The win earned Taisumov his third consecutive Performance of the Night bonus award.

Taisumov was expected to face Evan Dunham on April 7, 2018, at UFC 223. However, Taisumov was removed from the fight on March 9 again over reported visa issues. Dunham will now face Olivier Aubin-Mercier at the event.

Taisumov faced Desmond Green on September 15, 2018, at UFC Fight Night 136. At weigh-ins, Taisumov weighted five pounds over the lightweight non-title fight limit of 156 and was fined 40% of his purse to Green. Taisumov won the fight by unanimous decision.

On April 11, 2019, it was reported that USADA issued a six-month suspension for testing positive of stanozolol metabolites in an in-competition sample collected on September 15, 2018, at UFC Fight Night 136. USADA and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) determined the stanozolol metabolites were found from contaminated dietary supplements he digested. The suspension was retroactive to October 8, 2018, and he was eligible to fight again on May 8, 2019.

Taisumov faced Carlos Diego Ferreira on September 7, 2019, at UFC 242. He lost the fight by unanimous decision. The fight was the last one of his prevailing contract thus making him a free agent.

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts Ultimate Fighting Championship Performance of the Night (Three times) Tied for fourth most consecutive knockouts in UFC history (5)

Mixed martial arts record Loss

Carlos Diego Ferreira Decision (unanimous) UFC 242

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Win

Desmond Green Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Oleinik

Moscow, Russia Win

Felipe Silva KO (punch) UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Struve

Rotterdam, Netherlands Win

Damir Hadžović KO (punch) UFC Fight Night: Rothwell vs. dos Santos

Zagreb, Croatia Win

Alan Patrick TKO (head kick and punches) UFC Fight Night: Jedrzejczyk vs. Penne

Berlin, Germany Win

Anthony Christodoulou KO (punches) UFC on Fox: Gustafsson vs. Johnson

Stockholm, Sweden Win

Marcin Bandel TKO (punches) UFC Fight Night: Nelson vs. Story

Stockholm, Sweden Loss

Michel Prazeres Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. Henderson 2

Natal, Brazil Win

Tae Hyun Bang Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Saffiedine vs. Lim

Marina Bay, Singapore Win

Artem Damkovsky Submission (rear-naked choke) M-1 Global - M-1 Challenge 44

Tula, Russia Win

Niko Puhakka TKO (leg kicks) M-1 Global - M-1 Challenge 40

Ingushetia, Russia Win

Leon Del Gaudio Submission (guillotine choke) M-1 Challenge 35 - Emelianenko vs. Monson

Saint Petersburg, Russia Loss

Marat Gafurov Decision (split) M-1 Global - Fedor vs. Rizzo

Saint Petersburg, Russia Win

Luca Poclit Submission (punches) EMS - Middleweight Tournament Opening Round

Iași, Romania Win

Joshua Thorpe KO (punches) M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Monson

Moscow, Russia Win

Josh Bacallao KO (punch) M-1 Challenge 26: Garner vs. Bennett 2

Costa Mesa, California, United States Win

Yuri Ivlev TKO (punches) M-1 Challenge 23: Guram vs. Grishin

Moscow, Russia Win

Ivica Trušček Submission (rear-naked choke) GCF 1 - Judgement Day

Prague, Czech Republic Loss

Artem Damkovsky TKO (doctor stoppage) M-1 Challenge 21: Guram vs. Garner

Saint Petersburg, Russia Win

Serhiy Adamchuk Submission (rear-naked choke) M-1 Selection 2010: Eastern Europe Finals

Moscow, Russia Win

Julien Boussuge KO (punch) M-1 Selection 2010: Western Europe Round 3

Uusimaa, Finland Win

Petr Cajnak Submission (rear-naked choke) HC 5 - Hell Cage 5

Prague, Czech Republic Win

Borys Mańkowski TKO (punches) M-1 Selection 2010: Western Europe Round 1

Hilversum, Netherlands Win

Markus Niskanen TKO (punches) Cage 11 - Battle of Nations

Kanta-Häme, Finland Win

Olivier Elizabeth Submission (rear-naked choke) HC 4 - Hell Cage 4

Prague, Czech Republic Win

Jarkko Latomaki TKO (injury) BP - Fight Night Vaasa

Ostrobothnia, Finland Loss

Vener Galiev Decision (unanimous) Gladiator - 2009

Prague, Czech Republic Win

David Rosmon KO (knee) HC 3 - Hell Cage 3

Prague, Czech Republic Loss

Ivan Buchinger Submission (bulldog choke) HC 2 - Hell Cage 2

Prague, Czech Republic Win

Maxim Usmaniev Submission (armbar) FA 3 - Fight Arena 3

Prague, Czech Republic Win

Oto Merlin TKO (punches) FSC 1 - Fight Stage Championship 1

Košice, Slovakia Win

Jaroslav Poborský KO (punches) GFF 7 - Gladiators Free Fight 7

Prague, Czech Republic Win

Vaclav Pribyl Submission (armbar) CF 2 - Cage Fighting 2

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany