Mukhamed Berkhamov Bio
Mukhamed Berkhamov is a Russian professional mixed martial artist born on January 27, 1994, in Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria. Competing in the welterweight division, he has built a reputation as a grappling specialist with a combat sambo and wrestling base. He is a former Absolute Championship Berkut (ACB) Welterweight World Champion and has also competed in Bellator MMA and the Professional Fighters League (PFL).
Fighting under the nickname “Cherkes,” Berkhamov has competed professionally since 2013. He has collected ACA Performance of the Night honors on three occasions and holds the Master of Sport title in both combat sambo and army hand-to-hand combat.
Early Life and Background
Mukhamed Berkhamov was born on January 27, 1994, in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic of Russia. He is of Kabardian ethnicity, an eastern branch of the Circassian nation, and grew up in the city of Baksan. Berkhamov completed his secondary education at the Municipal State General Educational Institution Secondary General Educational School No. 4 of the Baksan Urban District.
He later pursued higher education at the Kabardino-Balkarian State Agrarian University, where he continued to sharpen his combat skills alongside his academic studies. His introduction to combat sports began with boxing and Russian catch wrestling, which laid the foundation for his later work in hand-to-hand combat and combat sambo.
During his developmental years, Berkhamov earned titles including National Champion in Russian Catch Wrestling, Republican Champion in hand-to-hand combat, and North Caucasian Federal District Champion in hand-to-hand combat. He also triumphed in republican boxing tournaments and two all-Russian class “B” boxing events, establishing himself as one of the most decorated amateurs in his region.
Path to MMA
Berkhamov transitioned into amateur mixed martial arts in 2011, claiming the FCF Absolute Cup Welterweight Tournament Championship in Nalchik on May 15. He followed that breakthrough with a victory over future PFL mainstay Magomed Umalatov at the 2014 Cup of Russia in Mytishchi, finishing the bout by rear-naked choke in the first round.
In 2015, he captured the Gold Medal in the Welterweight division at the Amateur MMA Cup of Nalchik and added Bronze Medals at both the 2015 North Caucasus MMA Championship in Grozny and the 2015 Russian Amateur MMA Championship in Volgograd. Those amateur results positioned him for a move into the professional ranks.
Mukhamed Berkhamov Career
Early Career (2013–2015)
Mukhamed Berkhamov made his professional debut on January 19, 2013, at Oplot Challenge 28, earning a unanimous decision over Artem Shokalo. Later that year, he secured first-round anaconda choke victories at Emperor Fighting Championship 3 and Oplot Challenge 90, suffering his only setback in 2013 against Marif Piraev at Ahimas Promotion SPB Fighter 5.
Between 2013 and 2015, Berkhamov built a five-match winning streak under the banners of ACB and Tech-Krep FC, finishing four of those opponents by submission. He captured the 2015 Tech-KREP FC Welterweight Grand Prix, signaling his arrival as a top-tier Russian welterweight prospect.
Absolute Championship Berkut / ACA Breakthrough (2016–2019)
Berkhamov debuted for ACB at ACB 28: Young Eagles 4, submitting Ronny Alexander Landaeta Utrera with an armbar in the third round. On May 20, 2016, at ACB 38, he earned his first professional knockout, stopping pankration world champion Stanislav Vlasenko in 25 seconds to claim his first ACA Performance of the Night award.
He added two more Performance of the Night bonuses for submitting Jesse Taylor at ACB 48 and Sharaf Davlatmurodov at ACB 55. On August 19, 2017, at ACB 67, he knocked out champion Brett Fudoshin Cooper in the second round to become the ACB Welterweight World Champion and the youngest active titleholder in the promotion, later receiving a Mercedes-Benz as a reward.
Bellator MMA Era (2021–2023)
After injury setbacks forced him to vacate the ACB title, Berkhamov signed with Bellator MMA. His debut was delayed when he missed weight for a scheduled bout with Herman Terrado at Bellator 255, but he officially entered the Bellator cage on October 16, 2021, at Bellator 268, submitting Jaleel Willis via guillotine choke in the first round to run his record to 14-0.
His Bellator run included a no contest against Lorenz Larkin at Bellator 283 after an accidental elbow, a first-round knockout loss to Larkin in the rematch at Bellator 290, and a dominant 30-27 unanimous decision over Herman Terrado at Bellator 300 on October 7, 2023.
Professional Fighters League Era (2024–Present)
Berkhamov debuted for the PFL on August 23, 2024, at PFL 9, upsetting two-time PFL Welterweight Champion Ray Cooper III by split decision. The result extended his reputation as a dangerous grappler on the global stage.
On April 3, 2025, at PFL World Tournament 1, he suffered a first-round knockout loss to Thad Jean, and on June 12, 2025, at PFL 5, Kendly St. Louis finished him with a rear-naked choke at 3:21 of the third round, eliminating him from the 2025 PFL Welterweight Tournament.
Style and Strengths
Berkhamov fights from a southpaw stance and is widely regarded as a grappling-first competitor. His combat sambo base, complemented by Russian catch wrestling and army hand-to-hand combat training, allows him to threaten opponents with high-percentage submissions. Working with coaches Henri Hooft and Greg Jones at Kill Cliff FC, he has refined his striking counters and scrambling defense to match North American competition.
Notable Events and Milestones
Berkhamov became the ACB Welterweight World Champion in 2017 at age 23, the youngest active champion in the promotion. He has been awarded the ACA Performance of the Night three times, won the 2015 Tech-KREP FC Welterweight Grand Prix, and earned a knockout of pankration world champion Stanislav Vlasenko in just 25 seconds.
Mukhamed Berkhamov Career Wins
Berkhamov’s professional record stands at 17 wins against 5 losses and 1 no contest, with victories spread across Russian promotions, ACB/ACA, Bellator MMA, and the PFL. He has finished the majority of his wins inside the distance, leaning heavily on submission grappling while mixing in timely knockouts and decision wins.
ACB/ACA Highlights
Berkhamov went 6-0 in ACB/ACA with five finishes, capped by his second-round knockout of Brett Fudoshin Cooper to claim the welterweight crown. His debut victory over Ronny Landaeta and submission wins over Jesse Taylor and Sharaf Davlatmurodov each earned Performance of the Night honors.
Other Wins & Performances
Berkhamov won the 2015 Tech-KREP FC Welterweight Grand Prix and built an undefeated streak that included his 2013 anaconda choke of Nver Kagramalyan. In his PFL debut, he upset two-time champion Ray Cooper III via split decision, while his Bellator debut featured a first-round guillotine choke of Jaleel Willis.
Mukhamed Berkhamov Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
This section does not apply to Berkhamov’s biography as a mixed martial artist and has been omitted for accuracy.
Personal Life
Berkhamov, who was previously known as “The Red Devil” because of his distinctive ginger hair and beard, now goes by the nickname “Cherkes,” which simply means Circassian in Russian and reflects his Kabardian identity. He currently resides between Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia, and Deerfield Beach, Florida, USA, training with Kill Cliff FC under Henri Hooft and Greg Jones while continuing to develop fighters at the Baksan Fighting Club and Team Alligator Nalchik under Beslan Zhamurzov.
2025 Season Performance
Mukhamed Berkhamov entered 2025 as part of the PFL Welterweight Tournament, aiming to translate his grappling pedigree into a season-long run in the American-based league. His lone appearance of the year came on April 3, 2025, at PFL World Tournament 1 in Orlando, where he was stopped by Haitian-American contender Thad Jean via first-round punches.
Berkhamov returned to action on June 12, 2025, at PFL 5 in Nashville, facing submission specialist Kendly St. Louis in a tournament bout. After controlling significant portions of the fight with sharp counters, low kicks, and a flying knee, he was caught in the third round and submitted by rear-naked choke at 3:21, ending his 2025 PFL Welterweight Tournament run.
With a 0-2 record in the 2025 PFL regular season, Berkhamov’s playoff hopes have stalled, though his experience as a former ACB champion and high-level grappling base keep him firmly in the conversation as a relevant welterweight for future matchups. He continues to train with Kill Cliff FC in Florida and is expected to pursue new bookings as the PFL calendar develops.