# Zubaira Tukhugov
**Zubaira Tukhugov** (Зубайра Тухугов; born 1991) is a Russian mixed martial artist from Grozny who competed in the [Ultimate Fighting Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/ultimate-fighting-championship) (UFC) from 2014 to 2023, mostly at featherweight, and who is known by the nickname "Warrior". He left the promotion with a record of 5 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw, and a professional record of 20-6-1.[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/33555-zubair-tukhugov) • [2](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Zubaira%20Tukhugov/65301/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1991, Grozny, Russia; fights out of Moscow[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/33555-zubair-tukhugov) |
| Physical | 5'8" (173 cm), 68-inch reach; foundation style pankration[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/33555-zubair-tukhugov) |
| Professional record | 20-6-1 (7 wins by KO/TKO, 1 by submission, 12 by decision)[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/33555-zubair-tukhugov) |
| UFC record | 5-3-1; debut February 15, 2014; last UFC fight February 11, 2023[2](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Zubaira%20Tukhugov/65301/) |
| Longest UFC win streak | 3 (2014–2015)[2](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Zubaira%20Tukhugov/65301/) |
| Highest ranking | #40 featherweight in FightMatrix quarterly ratings, April 2020[2](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Zubaira%20Tukhugov/65301/) |
| Departure | Released from the UFC in March 2023 after missing weight at UFC 284[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/33555-zubair-tukhugov) • [3](https://www.championat.ru/tags/27801-zubajra-tuhugov/) |
## Early career
Tukhugov started training at the age of five, focusing on wrestling and hand-to-hand striking, and began competing in MMA at 18.[4](https://us.ufcespanol.com/news/zubaira-tukhugov-believes-he-has-momentum) His first professional bouts came in pankration events: on March 10, 2010, at the Atrium Pankration Cup, he won three fights in a single night, submitting Viktor Finagin with a rear-naked choke in the tournament final.[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/33555-zubair-tukhugov)
His first full year as a professional was unusually busy. He made the walk nine times, a stretch that included three one-night tournaments, and finished the year at 7-2. Recalling one tournament, Tukhugov said the commission nearly canceled his bouts because, at 143 pounds, he was too young and too light for the 165-pound division; he won all three fights that night anyway.[4](https://us.ufcespanol.com/news/zubaira-tukhugov-believes-he-has-momentum) Through 2013 he fought for Russian and European promotions including ProFC, League S-70, Cage Warriors, and Fight Nights, where he knocked out Vaso Bakocevic with a spinning back kick in October 2013.[5](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Zubaira-Tukhugov-63813)
## UFC career
**Debut and early run.** Tukhugov entered the UFC in February 2014 and beat Douglas Silva de Andrade by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 36 in Jaragua do Sul, Brazil.[5](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Zubaira-Tukhugov-63813) • [6](https://www.ufc.com/news/reintroduction-zubaira-tukhugov) He then stopped Ernest Chavez by punches in the first round at UFC Fight Night 53 in October 2014 and took a split decision over Phillipe Nover at [UFC Fight Night 80](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-fight-night-namajunas-vs-vanzant) in December 2015, giving him a three-fight win streak.[5](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Zubaira-Tukhugov-63813) • [2](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Zubaira%20Tukhugov/65301/)
His first UFC loss came at [UFC 198](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-198) in Curitiba on May 14, 2016, when [Renato Moicano](https://www.edgepedia.org/renato-moicano) won a split decision (29-28 on two cards, 28-29 on the third) in a closely contested featherweight bout.[7](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/bouts/249851-ufc-198-renato-moicano-carneiro-vs-zubaira-warrior-tukhugov) • [8](https://as.com/us/us/2016/05/15/masdeporte/1463278485_627287.html) Later that year he was removed from a scheduled December bout against Tiago Trator after failing a drug test.[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/33555-zubair-tukhugov)
**Suspensions and return.** Tukhugov was then sidelined for more than three years by a pair of suspensions.[4](https://us.ufcespanol.com/news/zubaira-tukhugov-believes-he-has-momentum) In October 2018 the UFC pulled him from a scheduled fight against [Artem Lobov](https://www.edgepedia.org/artem-lobov) at UFC Fight Night 138; the bout had been arranged after an altercation in which Tukhugov, a member of [Khabib Nurmagomedov](https://www.edgepedia.org/khabib-nurmagomedov)'s team, was involved in the post-fight events at [UFC 229](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-229), and reports at the time said he faced possible dismissal from the promotion.[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/33555-zubair-tukhugov) • [9](https://as.com/us/us/2018/10/13/masdeporte/1539439896_121814.html)
He returned at [UFC 242](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-242) in [Abu Dhabi](https://www.edgepedia.org/abu-dhabi) on September 7, 2019, fighting unbeaten Englishman Lerone Murphy to a split draw.[10](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/bouts/449592-ufc-242-zubaira-warrior-tukhugov-vs-lerone-the-miracle-murphy) Murphy later debuted officially in the UFC with that draw on his record, and it remains the only blemish on his professional ledger.[11](https://as.com/masdeporte/polideportivo/du-plessis-invicto-en-ufc-cuales-son-los-peleadores-que-no-han-perdido-nunca-un-combate-n/) In February 2020 Tukhugov knocked out Kevin Aguilar with punches 3:21 into the first round at UFC Fight Night 168 in Auckland.[5](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Zubaira-Tukhugov-63813)
**Later fights and release.** At UFC 253 on September 26, 2020, Tukhugov lost a split decision to [Hakeem Dawodu](https://www.edgepedia.org/hakeem-dawodu); he weighed in at 150 pounds for the 145-pound featherweight bout, above the contracted limit.[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/33555-zubair-tukhugov) Several subsequent bookings fell through: he withdrew from a 2021 fight with Ricardo Ramos through injury, and he was removed from a [UFC 280](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-280) bout against Lucas Almeida in October 2022 after a botched weight cut.[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/33555-zubair-tukhugov) When the Ramos fight was finally made at [UFC 267](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-267) in October 2021, Tukhugov won a unanimous decision.[5](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Zubaira-Tukhugov-63813)
His last UFC appearance came at [UFC 284](https://www.edgepedia.org/ufc-284) in Perth on February 11, 2023. Moved to lightweight, he weighed 157.5 pounds for the 155-pound limit, again missing weight, and lost a split decision to short-notice opponent Elves Brener.[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/33555-zubair-tukhugov) The judging drew criticism from fellow fighters, and [Islam Makhachev](https://www.edgepedia.org/islam-makhachev) publicly supported Tukhugov afterward.[3](https://www.championat.ru/tags/27801-zubajra-tuhugov/) The UFC released him in March 2023, and Tukhugov later attributed the release to his repeated weight misses.[3](https://www.championat.ru/tags/27801-zubajra-tuhugov/)
## After the UFC
Tukhugov's manager announced in June 2024 that he had paused his career.[3](https://www.championat.ru/tags/27801-zubajra-tuhugov/) A grudge match against Artem Lobov, booked at a 165-pound catchweight for PFL Champions Series 2 in Dubai on October 3, 2025, was canceled when Lobov suffered a training injury.[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/33555-zubair-tukhugov) • [12](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/news/Zubaira-Tukhugov-63813) In April 2025, Russian reports described a 5-million-ruble wager with Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev tied to Tukhugov cutting from 90 kilograms to 82.[3](https://www.championat.ru/tags/27801-zubajra-tuhugov/)
## Fighting style and record shape
Tukhugov's 20 professional wins break down as 7 by KO/TKO, 1 by submission, and 12 by decision, so 60 percent of his victories went the distance; his 6 losses include 4 by decision.[1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/33555-zubair-tukhugov) His UFC tenure was marked by long gaps: after debuting in February 2014, he fought only nine times in the Octagon over nine years, with suspensions, injuries, withdrawals, and missed weights accounting for several canceled bouts.[2](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Zubaira%20Tukhugov/65301/) • [1](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/33555-zubair-tukhugov) He spent 1 hour, 52 minutes, and 42 seconds in UFC competition.[2](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Zubaira%20Tukhugov/65301/)
## References
1. [Zubaira "Warrior" Tukhugov fighter page, Tapology](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/33555-zubair-tukhugov)
2. [Zubaira Tukhugov fighter profile, FightMatrix](https://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/Zubaira%20Tukhugov/65301/)
3. [Зубайра Тухугов, Чемпионат (news tag page)](https://www.championat.ru/tags/27801-zubajra-tuhugov/)
4. [Zubaira Tukhugov Believes He Has Momentum, UFC](https://us.ufcespanol.com/news/zubaira-tukhugov-believes-he-has-momentum)
5. [Zubaira "Warrior" Tukhugov, Sherdog](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Zubaira-Tukhugov-63813)
6. [The Reintroduction of Zubaira Tukhugov, UFC](https://www.ufc.com/news/reintroduction-zubaira-tukhugov)
7. [Renato Moicano vs. Zubaira Tukhugov, UFC 198, Tapology](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/bouts/249851-ufc-198-renato-moicano-carneiro-vs-zubaira-warrior-tukhugov)
8. [Así fue el cartel preliminar de la UFC 198, AS](https://as.com/us/us/2016/05/15/masdeporte/1463278485_627287.html)
9. [50 cent ofrece 2 MDD a Khabib para pelear en Bellator, AS](https://as.com/us/us/2018/10/13/masdeporte/1539439896_121814.html)
10. [Zubaira Tukhugov vs. Lerone Murphy, UFC 242, Tapology](https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/bouts/449592-ufc-242-zubaira-warrior-tukhugov-vs-lerone-the-miracle-murphy)
11. [Peleadores invictos en la UFC, AS](https://as.com/masdeporte/polideportivo/du-plessis-invicto-en-ufc-cuales-son-los-peleadores-que-no-han-perdido-nunca-un-combate-n/)
12. [Zubaira Tukhugov news, Sherdog](https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/news/Zubaira-Tukhugov-63813)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Mixed martial arts › Featherweight and bantamweight fighters › Featherweight fighters*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license