Former UFC light heavyweight Abdul-Kerim Edilov, whose one and only Octagon appearance resulted in a technical knockout victory over Bojan Mihajlovic, was found dead earlier today under “mysterious circumstances,” according to a report from Bloody Elbow.
Edilov, who also holds a win over former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka, stopped competing after his second-round finish over Mihajlovic, opting to serve under Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov as chief of staff and eventually deputy prime minister.
“The Chechnyan Lion” reportedly had a falling out with Kadyrov prior to his untimely passing.
Most fans may remember Edilov for his run-in with USADA before even stepping foot inside the cage, in what marked a busy year for the drug-testing organization. Other fighters to come up hot were Mirko Filipovic, Yoel Romero, and Gleison Tibau, just to name a few.
A commemoration was scheduled for 10 a.m. local time but no other details surrounding his death have been made available. In addition, Kadyrov has yet to comment on the reports of Edilov’s passing, probably because he was too busy posting goofy videos on Instagram.
Edilov finished his MMA career at 17-4 with 16 finishes.