Chechen MMA fighter linked to Kadyrov detained for drug possession at Moscow airport

Bloody Elbow 2.0 | Anton Tabuena

A Chechen mixed martial arts fighter was detained at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport on Monday after being found in possession of narcotics.

Salman Zhamaldaev, a world champion shoot boxer who trains at the Akhmat fight club operated by Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov, was in transit to Grozny when he was stopped and searched by airport officials and law enforcement.

The news was first reported by Russia’s REN TV.

Zhamaldaev was reportedly detained after a 17-year-old drug dealer was arrested and named the fighter as one of his regular clients. The teenager provided law enforcement with enough information for them to detain the fighter. A second report claims the fighter was found with 10 grams of mephedrone, a synthetic stimulant drug that produces effects similar to those of MDMA and cocaine.

The fighter is facing several criminal charges, including possession and sale of drugs, as well as the involvement of a minor in the commission of a crime.

Zhamaldaev is a former WFCA champion with a 20-2 record as a professional MMA fighter. He currently competes for Absolute Championship Akhmat, and holds victories over the likes of Magomedrasul Khasbulaev, Marat Balaev, and former UFC fighter Diego Brandao.

Following Zhamaldaev’s victory against Balaev at ACA 93 in 2019, Kadyrov praised the fighter by refering to him as “an idol for young people.”

“He has strong will, firm character and huge efficiency,” Kadyrov added.

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About the author

Karim Zidan

Karim Zidan is a investigative reporter and feature writer focusing on the intersection of sports and politics. He has written for BloodyElbow since 2014 and has served as an associate editor since 2016. He also writes for The New York Times and The Guardian. Karim has been invited to speak about his work at numerous universities, including Princeton, and was a panelist at the South by Southwest (SXSW) film festival and the Oslo Freedom Forum. He also participated in the United Nations counter-terrorism conference in 2021. His reporting on Ramzan Kadyrov’s involvement in MMA, much of which was done for Bloody Elbow, has led to numerous award nominations, and was the basis of an award-winning HBO Real Sports documentary.