Mirza Mirzoev

Said Dzhaparovich Amirov (Russian: Саи́д Джапа́рович Ами́ров, born 5 March 1954) is a Dagestani economist and former politician for United Russia who was mayor of Makhachkala from 1998 to 2013. He was detained in June 2013 on suspicion of having ordered the murder of state investigator Arsen Gadzhibeko in 2011.[1] Amirov was suspended from his position as mayor of Makhachkala on 14 June 2013 by the Basmanny Court of Moscow which also ruled that Amirov could be kept in custody until November 2013. He is currently serving a life sentence on charges of terrorism and commissioning contract killings.[2]

Early life and civil career

Said Amirov was born in the village Dzhanga-Makhi in central Dagestan, an area from which many leading politicians in Dagestan hail.[3] He is an ethnic Dargin.[4]

Amirov obtained a degree in economics at the All-Union Institute of the Food Industry in 1983, and a Candidate degree in economics from the St. Petersburg Engineering and Economics Institute in 1992. In 2006, he obtained a doctorate degree.[5] He teaches at Dagestan's State University, and is a member of the Academy of Social and Humanitarian Sciences, and the Russian Municipal Academy.[6]

From 1971 to 1991, Amirov worked in various positions for consumers' cooperatives, ultimately becoming chairman of the consumers' union Dagpotrebsoyuz.[5][7]

Political career

He was deputy Chairman of the State Council of the Republic of Dagestan from 1991 to 1998, and is also the founder of the Dagestani People's Reform Party. In 1998, he was elected mayor of Makhachkala with more than 70% of the vote,[3] and has subsequently been reelected.[5][7]

Makhachkala has experienced substantial population growth and economic progress during Amirov's mayoral period.[4][8] He has twice been voted Russia's best mayor.[9] He has at the same time been accused of being part of widespread corruption.[8]

Survival of assassination attempts

Amirov has been the victim of several assassination attempts—15, according to many sources[8][10]—and has used a wheelchair since his spine was hit by a bullet in 1993.[10] In 1998, a bomb went off at his father's gravesite. Amirov used to visit the grave daily, but was not present when the bomb went off. One person was wounded.[11] On 4 September 1998, explosives went off near his house, killing 20 people in the neighbourhood, and injuring eight more.[12] Two relatives of Sharaputdin Musaev, chairman of Dagestan's Pension Fund,[13] were later found guilty of the attack.[12]

Murder charge

On 1 June 2013,[14] Amirov was detained by Russian forces on suspicion of involvement in the 2011 murder of state investigator Arsen Gadzhibekov. Ten other persons were arrested in the same operation. Amirov was brought to Moscow for questioning.[10][15] According to Life News, investigators were also looking into whether Amirov was connected to the criminal group Kolkhozniki, which is believed to be involved in drug trafficking, among other crimes.[15] Amirov denied being involved with the murder, and, according to his lawyer Mark Kruter, claimed he had become the victim of political games.[16] Amirov was placed in custody in Lefortovo pre-trial prison. His advocates has argued that Amirov's health problems makes him unfit to be in prison and requested the Basmanny Court of Moscow to allow home arrest instead. The court turned down the request on 3 July 2013 and on 26 July 2013 it extended the custody period to November 2013 after Amirov had undergone a medical examination in a hospital.[17]

Amirov was suspended from his position as mayor of Makhachkala on 14 June 2013 by the Basmanny Court.[18]

On 9 July 2014 he was found guilty of planning a terrorist act and was sentenced to 10 years in a penal colony.[19]

On 27 August 2015 he was found guilty of a number of other crimes and was sentenced for life.[20] Amirov is serving his sentence at the Black Dolphin Prison.[21]

Rustam Khabilov (born 4 November 1986) is a Russian mixed martial artist, currently competing in the Lightweight division of Bellator MMA. He is a Combat Sambo World Champion and a former member of the Legion Sport Club fight team in Rostov-on-Don. Prior to signing with Bellator, Khabilov previously fought in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Background

Rustam was born in Goksu-otar village in Dagestan, in a Kumyk family. He studied at the Makhachkala Automobile College, where his sports career began. He started his training under Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, soon becoming world and Russia champion in fight sambo discipline. Married, has two sons and a daughter.

Mixed martial arts career

ONE Fighting Championship

In January 2012 it was announced that Khabilov had signed with ONE Fighting Championship. He made his debut at ONE Fighting Championship: Battle of Heroes at The BritAma Arena in Jakarta, Indonesia on 11 February 2012 against BJJ World Champion Rodrigo Ribeiro. He won the fight via unanimous decision.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Khabilov signed a four-fight deal with the UFC in July 2012.[4]

In his debut, Khabilov faced Vinc Pichel on 15 December 2012 at The Ultimate Fighter: Team Carwin vs. Team Nelson Finale.[5] He won the fight in the first round by hurting Pincel with a suplex and finishing him off with punches on the ground.

For his second fight in the organization, Khabilov faced UFC newcomer and Strikeforce veteran Yancy Medeiros at UFC 159 on 27 April 2013.[6] The fight ended in unusual fashion as Medeiros dislocated his thumb during a takedown by Khabilov early in the first round, resulting in a TKO victory for Khabilov as Medeiros was unable to continue.

For his third UFC fight, Khabilov faced Jorge Masvidal on 6 November 2013 at UFC: Fight for the Troops 3.[7] He won the back-and-forth bout via unanimous decision. The fight also garnered Khabilov his first Fight of the Night bonus award.[8]

Khabilov was expected to face Rafael dos Anjos on 22 February 2014 at UFC 170.[9] However, the bout was cancelled in the weeks leading up to the event due to an injury suffered by Khabilov.[10]

Khabilov faced Benson Henderson on 7 June 2014 in the main event at UFC Fight Night: Henderson vs. Khabilov.[11] He lost the fight via rear-naked choke submission in the fourth round.

Khabilov was expected to face Danny Castillo on 3 January 2015 at UFC 182.[12] However, Khabilov pulled out of the bout due to alleged visa issues.[13]

Khabilov faced Adriano Martins on 22 February 2015 at UFC Fight Night 61.[14] He lost the fight via split decision.

A rescheduled bout with Danny Castillo was expected to take place on 25 July 2015 at UFC on Fox 16.[15] However, for a second time, Khabilov was removed from the pairing due to alleged visa issues. Castillo faced Jim Miller at the event.[16]

Khabilov faced Norman Parke on 27 February 2016 at UFC Fight Night 84.[17] He won the fight via unanimous decision.[18]

Khabilov was tabbed as an injury replacement for Rashid Magomedov to face Chris Wade on 8 May 2016 at UFC Fight Night 87.[19] He won the fight via unanimous decision.[20]

Khabilov was expected to face Reza Madadi on 3 September 2016 at UFC Fight Night 93.[21] However, on 25 July, Madadi pulled out due to undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Leandro Silva. Khabilov won the fight via unanimous decision.

Khabilov next faced Jason Saggo on 10 December 2016 at UFC 206. He won the one-sided fight via unanimous decision.

Khabilov faced Desmond Green on 2 September 2017 at UFC Fight Night 115. He won the fight via unanimous decision.

Khabilov was supposed to face Kajan Johnson on 17 March 2018 at UFC Fight Night 127.However, Khabilov pulled out due to injury and was replaced by Stevie Ray.

The bout with Johnson was rescheduled and eventually took place on 15 September 2018 at UFC Fight Night 136.Khabilov won the back-and-forth fight by split decision.

Khabilov faced Carlos Diego Ferreira on 23 February 2019 at UFC Fight Night 145. He lost the fight by unanimous decision.

Khabilov faced Sergey Khandozhko in a welterweight bout on 9 November 2019 at UFC on ESPN+ 21. He won the fight via unanimous decision and became a free agent after the fight.

Bellator MMA

On 2 October 2020, it was reported that Khabilov had signed a multi-fight deal with Bellator MMA.[36]

Rustam was expected to make his Bellator debut against Andrey Koreshkov on 23 October 2021 at Bellator 269.[37] However the bout was scrapped after Khabilov came down with a sickness.[38]

Personal life

Rustam has a wife. A devout Sunni Muslim. He trains under Khabib Nurmagomedov's father Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov (sambo/MMA), Anvar Magomedgadzhiev, Abdusalam Gadisov and Akhmed Gadzhimagomedov (wrestling), Mike Winkeljohn (boxing), Greg Jackson (MMA).

Championships and accomplishments

Sambo

World Combat Sambo Federation (WCSF )

Combat Sambo World Lightweight Champion (2007).[39]

Federation International Amateur de Sambo

Combat Sambo Russian National Middleweight Champion.

Combat Sambo Republic of Dagestan Middleweight Champion (4 Time).

Pankration

Russian Pankration Federation

Pankration Middleweight World Champion

Moscow Middleweight Pankration Open 2010

Combat Jiu Jitsu

Combat Jiu Jitsu Kiev Cup Light-Heavyweight Champion

Mixed martial arts

M-1 Global

M-1 Challenge 2009 Championship.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Fight of the Night (One time)

SporTV.com

2012 Knockout of the year (2nd) vs. Vinc Pichel on 15 December 2012.[40]

UFC Ultimate Insider

UFC Debuts of All-Time (8th) vs. Vinc Pichel on 15 December 2012.[41]

MMAJunkie.com

2018 Robbery of the Year vs. Kajan Johnson[42]

Said Nurmagomedov (born 5 April 1992) is a Russian mixed martial artist currently competing as a bantamweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional competitor since 2009, he formerly competed for Absolute Championship Berkut and World Fighting Championship Akhmat. He is a former AFC Bantamweight Champion.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Said Nurmagomedov made his professional MMA debut in 2009 at World Ultimate Full Contact 15, facing the undefeated 4–0 Oscar Nave. He won the bout in the first round by way of an armbar.[3] After a three year break, he returned in 2012 at Vale Tudo 3 to fight the debuting Jolon Uulu Jayloobay. Said won the fight in the first round by way of an armbar.[4] Said returned in 2013 to welcome another debutante, Akhmed Sarapov, at Liga Kavkaz - Battle in Khiv 1. Nurmagomedov scored the first KO win of his career, ending the fight in the dying seconds of the first round.[5]

In 2014 Nurmagomedov signed with Absolute Championship Berkut, with his first fight being against the experienced Asulan Toktarbaev, at ACB 1 bantamweight Grand Prix. Said won a unanimous decision.[6] In the next round of the bantamweight Grand Prix, at ACB 4 he faced Magomed-Emin Khazhgeriev, again winning by a unanimous decision.[7] In the penultimate bout of the Grand Prix, at ACB 7, he fought against the undefeated German Barsegyan. He won by TKO, after the doctor stopped the fight in the first round.[8] In the final of the Grand Prix, Nurmagomedov faced the undefeated Magomed Bibulatov, losing the final by a unanimous decision.[9]

He would then move to World Fighting Championship Akhmat two years later, with his first fight being against the veteran Diego Marlon, winning a unanimous decision.[10] At WFCA 22 he would face Walter Pereira Jr, winning a unanimous decision.[11] He fought against Abdul-Rakhman Dudaev during WFA 30 for the vacant AFC Bantamweight Championship. Said won a unanimous decision to become the AFC bantamweight champion.[12] During WFCA 35 he fought Anderson dos Santos. Following several jumping knees in the clinch, Said ended the fight by submission in the first round.[13] In his final fight with World Fighting Championship Akhmat he won a unanimous decision against Luis Nogueira at WFC 42.[14]

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Said Nurmagomedov signed with UFC in 2018 made his promotional debut on 14 July 2018 at UFC Fight Night 133 against Justin Scoggins.[15] This was his first and, so far, only fight at flyweight. They began by trading kicks, before trading strikes, during which Said was briefly knocked down. After a back and forth second round, Nurmagomedov landed a takedown in the third round. He won a split decision.[16]

Nurmagomedov next faced Ricardo Ramos on 2 February 2019 at UFC Fight Night 144.[17] Following a spinning back kick and high kick, Nurmagomedov followed up with punches, winning the bout by TKO in the first round.[18]

He was booked to fight Raoni Barcelos on 21 December 2019 during UFC Fight Night 165. Nurmagomedov lost the fight via unanimous decision.[19]

Nurmagomedov faced promotional newcomer Mark Striegl, whose debut was delayed after testing positive for COVID-19,[20] on October 18, 2020 at UFC Fight Night 180.[21] He won the fight via knockout in round one.[22]

Nurmagomedov was scheduled to face Jack Shore at UFC Fight Night 191[23] However, Nurmagomedov was pulled from the event due to visa issues, and he was replaced by Zviad Lazishvili.[24]

Nurmagomedov faced Cody Stamann on 22 January 2022 at UFC 270.[25] Nurmagomedov won the bout via submission in round one.[26] This win earned him the Performance of the Night award

Nadirshakh Mugadovich "Nadir" Khachilayev (Russian: Надиршах Мугадович Хачилаев, alternatively Nadyr Khachiliev, Nadir Khachiliev,[2][3]; 1959–2003) was a Russian politician, member of the 2nd State Duma, lower house of the Federal Assembly.[4]

He was chairman of the Dagestan branch of the Fund for Peace and the Union of Muslims of Russia, which was designated as an extremist organization by the Ministry of Justice of Russia. In the 1990s and 2000s, he was considered the leader of the Lak people.

Biography

Early life

Born on 10 July 1959 in the village of Kuma, Laksky District, Dagestan ASSR to a family of ethnic Lak shepherd. His brothers Magomed (1957–2000) and Adam (1966–1993) were karatekas. In 1977, after graduating from high school, Nadyr worked as a shepherd.[6]

He served in the Soviet Army on the territory of modern-day Belarus and Ukraine. In 1980 he moved to Leningrad, where he joined the city karate team. He had a black belt in karate. In 1983 he studied for one year at the translation department of the Maxim Gorky Literature Institute, and then transferred to the correspondence department, which he graduated in 1987. In addition, he studied at the Krasnodar State Institute of Physical Culture and at the Lesgaft Institute.[6]

Political activity

In Moscow, he worked for the Hermes security company, which provided debt collection. In February 1996 with the support of Abdul-Vahed Niyazov Khachilayev headed the Union of Muslims of Russia, replacing the mufti Mukaddas Bibarsov. Later, this organization was recognized as extremist by the Russian Ministry of Justice.[7]

In 1996, he accompanied the Secretary of the Security Council of Russia Alexander Lebed during his peacekeeping trip to Chechen separatist leaders. On 8 December 1996, in a by-election to the 2nd State Duma of Russia Khachilayev won the Makhachkala constituency.[6] On March 21, 1997 he was admitted to Our Home – Russia faction. Khachilayev participated in the release of more than 50 hostages taken by Chechen separatists in the late 1990s.[8]

Connection to the Egyptian Islamic Jihad

In 1996–1997, when Egyptian Islamic Jihad members Ayman al-Zawahiri, Ahmad Salama Mabruk and Mahmud Hisham al-Hennawi were detained in Makhachkala, Dagestan, Khachiliev was an advocate of their release.[4][9][2] Khachiliev denies helping any imprisoned Arabs, and denies any ties to extremism.

1998 Makhachkala riot

On 20 May 1998 a motorcade of Khachilayev brothers, returning from Chechnya, was stopped for a document check by police officers in the center of Makhachkala. Their attempt to disarm the Khachilayevs' guards led to a shootout, during which one of the police officers was killed. Then Nadir Khachilayev barricaded himself at home, together with some of his supporters. On May 21, at a rally gathered by supporters of the Khachilayevs on the central square of Makhachkala near the building of the State Council, there was another shootout with police officers. The rally resulted in the storming of government building. Magomed Khachilayev and his supporters held it for 24 hours while the negotiations were held. During the clashes, several police officers were killed, and four policemen were captured by Khachilayevs' supporters. The Prosecutor General's office accused Nadir and Magomed Khachilayev in the seizure of the State Council building, and after 11 September 1998, the State Duma deprived Nadir Khachilayev of parliamentary immunity. Magomed was arrested.[10][6][5]

Criminal prosecution

Nadir Khachilayev was hiding in Chechnya and in the Wahhabi enclave in Karamakhi.[11] In October 1999, he was arrested by a special force unit.[6] However, Khachilaev's lawyers stated that he was detained in Moscow, where he arrived at the invitation of FSB to negotiate his mediation in the release of General Gennady Shpigun, who was abducted in March 1999 and was held captive by the islamists.[8] In June 2000, Nadirshakh and Magomed Khachilayev were found guilty of organizing hostage-taking and illegal possession of weapons and sentenced by the Supreme Court of Dagestan to 1.5 years and 3 years in prison respectively and 41,000 rubles in a fine. However, both were released in the courtroom by the amnesty on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the Victory.[6][10]

In January 2002, Khachilayev was detained in Makhachkala. The prosecutor's office considered him perpetuator of the January 18 bombing of a truck with Internal Troops servicemen, which killed seven people. Operatives seized weapons and ammunition found in Khachilayev's house, as well as video tapes of abuse of Russian Army servicemen. At the same time, the official representative of Dagestan FSB branch expressed bewilderment at the actions of the police officers, saying that they did not inform the FSB, which was conducting a criminal case.[12] On January 25, Khachilayev went on a hunger strike. On 11 March 2002, he was fully acquitted by the Sovetsky District Court of Makhachkala.[13]

Death

On 11 August 2003, Nadirshah Khachilayev was assassinated near his own house in Makhachkala, when he was getting out of his Toyota Land Cruiser. Fire was opened from a passing VAZ-21099 car. A day later it was found on Parkhomenko Street, where the mansion of Khachilayev's longtime opponent is located, then-mayor Said Amirov. Among the versions of the murder were the alleged return of Nadir to politics, as well as blood feud: in May 1998, five OMON servicemen were killed in a shootout near Khachilayev's house.

Khadzhimurat Soltanovich Gatsalov (Russian: Хаджимурат Солтанович Гацалов, born December 11, 1982, in Chikola, North Ossetia–Alania wrestler Ossetian descent. As of February 2020, he represents Armenia.

Olympic Champion 2004, Five Times World Champion.

He won the gold medal in the freestyle 96 kg class in the 2004 Summer Olympics, he beat future UFC Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier in the semi-finals. He won five world medals in the 96 kg class at the FILA Wrestling World Championships. In 2013, he moved up to the 120 kg class and won a gold medal at the FILA Wrestling World Championships. He started his senior level competitive career at 84 kg in 2002 before moving up to 96 kg and 120 kg. Khadzhimurat is a devout Sunni Muslim

In 2014, Gatsalov became Cormier's training partner ahead of Cormier's fight against Jon Jones at UFC 182.