Muslim Salikhov

Muslim Salikhov was born on June 9, 1984, in Buynaksk, Dagestan. His journey in martial arts began in 1995 when he started practicing Wushu Sanda at the Five Directions of the World school, which integrates martial arts with general education. Early in his Wushu career, Salikhov demonstrated exceptional talent, earning numerous titles. He notably became the Wushu Sanda World Champion in 2005, a title he successfully defended multiple times in 2007, 2009, 2011, and 2015. A significant achievement in his Wushu Sanda career includes winning the first international “King of Sanda” tournament in Chongqing in February 2006, making him the first non-Chinese athlete to achieve this honor. He also secured a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Wushu Tournament, further solidifying his reputation as a formidable practitioner in the sport.

Salikhov transitioned to professional mixed martial arts (MMA) in July 2011. He quickly built a strong record, demonstrating his striking power with a notable string of knockout victories. Before joining the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), he competed in organizations such as M-1 Global and various regional promotions in China and Russia, maintaining an undefeated streak during these periods. A highlight was his win over MMA veteran Melvin Guillard in 2017 with a spinning hook kick knockout. In October 2017, Salikhov signed with the UFC, marking a significant step in his professional fighting career. He has continued to showcase his striking abilities in the UFC, earning multiple ‘Performance of the Night’ awards.

His UFC career includes notable wins against opponents such as Nordine Taleb in 2019, where he secured a first-round knockout and a ‘Performance of the Night’ bonus. In 2020, he won a split decision against Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos at UFC 251. He later delivered a TKO victory over Andre Fialho in 2022 and further showcased his exceptional striking with a spinning wheel kick knockout against Song Kenan in November 2024, earning another ‘Performance of the Night’. Most recently, in July 2025, Salikhov defeated Carlos Leal Miranda by knockout in the first round, adding another ‘Performance of the Night’ award to his accolades and reinforcing his reputation as “King of Kung Fu” in the welterweight division.