Muhammad Naimov Record, stats and next fight

Career Path

Born August 7, 1994, in Kulob, Tajikistan, Muhammad Naimov first competed in taekwondo at a high level. He became Asian junior champion in Kazakhstan in 2010, in Tajikistan in 2012, in Bulgaria in 2013, and in Nepal in 2014, and medaled at the junior world championships in Estonia in 2012 and in Tajikistan in 2014. Alongside these competitions, pursued while studying at the National University of Tajikistan, he moved into amateur MMA starting in 2016 before turning professional in 2018, training out of Dushanbe with Elevation Fight Team.

Before joining the UFC, Naimov built a solid record on the regional circuit and made a name for himself at Titan Fighting Championships. In 2021, he challenged there for the vacant featherweight title against Melsik Baghdasaryan, an opponent he would later face again as a late-notice replacement in the UFC, before losing a unanimous decision for the belt to Olivier Murad.

UFC Career

Naimov made his promotional debut on June 3, 2023, at UFC on ESPN 46, as a late replacement. He dominated Jamie Mullarkey and won by second-round TKO, a performance that earned him a Performance of the Night bonus. On October 21, 2023, at UFC 294, he backed it up at featherweight against Nathaniel Wood, whom he beat by unanimous decision. On February 24, 2024, at UFC Fight Night 237, he added a third straight win, beating Erik Silva by first-round TKO after his opponent suffered a leg injury.

His streak ended on June 22, 2024, at UFC on ABC 6, where he faced Felipe Lima as a replacement for Melsik Baghdasaryan and lost by third-round submission, a rear-naked choke. Naimov then bounced back twice by unanimous decision: against Kaan Ofli on February 1, 2025, at UFC Fight Night 250, then against Bogdan Grad on June 21, 2025, at UFC on ABC 8.

On December 6, 2025, at UFC 323, he faced Mairon Santos in a catchweight bout at 147.5 pounds after Santos missed weight; Naimov lost by third-round TKO. His most recent fight came on September 5, 2026, at the UFC Fight Night event in Paris, against Losene Keita, where he was beaten by first-round KO. Naimov has not won a UFC title; his promotional record stands at five wins and three losses.

Fighting Style

Trained in taekwondo from childhood, Muhammad Naimov builds his striking game on the precision and variety of angles inherited from that sport, with a preference for kicks and combinations worked at range. His wins by KO/TKO and unanimous decision show an ability to sustain a high pace across three rounds, while his losses by submission and KO point to difficulties once the fight is taken to the ground or against heavy-handed strikers.