Zubaira Tukhugov Bio: Wife, UFC, McGregor & Next Fight

Zubaira Tukhugov is a Mixed Martial Artist from Russia. He fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and has fought against many notable fighters.

Furthermore, the fighter has won 19 of the 25 matches he’s fought. He made his career-high ranking of 42 in the featherweight division earlier this year.

Besides that, he is also well-known for being good friends with Khabib Nurmagomedov, one of the greatest mixed martial fighters in MMA’s history.

He is a fellow Russian fighter and has won gold medals, UFC Lightweight Championships, etc. Not to mention, he hasn’t lost a single match in his career. The duo has a tight-binding friendship, which has only grown through the years.

Zubaira and Khabib are not unknown names if you’re well-acquainted with UFC Featherweight and Lightweight Champion Connor McGregor.

The controversy regarding the three MMA fighters received a lot of media attention. Several fans took sides, and many Russian and American news channels highly covered the story.

Aside from that, Tukhugov is also very well-known to Russian SFSR originated combat sport Sambo. He also competes in combat Sambo. To sum up, the fighter is very athletic and involved in different forms of martial arts.

Before getting into details about the fighter’s life and career, here are some quick facts about him.

Quick Facts

Zubaira Tukhugov | Early Life, Family, And Education

Zubaira was born in Grozny, Russian SFSR. His parents raised him in the Chechnya republic with his two brothers, Anzor Tukhugov and Raul Tukhugov.

Not to mention, the fighter was athletic and into martial arts since he was a young kid. Furthermore, he used to practice with his friends and brothers.

Although his brothers aren’t quite popular, they are also fighters. They reside in Russia and take part in local competitions.

Besides that, Anzor also co-owns ‘Euro Suprise’ and frequently promotes it on his Instagram account.

Zubaira’s family, including his parents, are very supportive of his career choice. They encourage and try to attend most of his fights.

Moreover, his father has always encouraged him to do what he is passionate about. The 29-year-old respects his parents’ opinions a lot. He shares a tight bond with his immediate family and extended family.

“Warrior” studied at Moscow National University. He started fighting when he was 19 years old. He is well-recognized for his fighting style and winning mindset.

The Russian athlete started his journey on Pankration Atrium Cup 2. Initially, he started in the Lightweight division and now plays in the Featherweight division.

With an incredibly fit body and the right height, he has defeated several of his opponents by knockout.

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Zubaira Tukhugov | Age, Height, And Weight

Tukhugov is approaching his 30s on January 15, 2021. The MMA fighter takes excellent care of his health and body. He weighs 146 lb, approximately 66 kg. Furthermore, he is 5 feet, 8 inches tall.

When it comes to describing his nationality, Zubaira belongs to Russian nationality and follows the Islam religion. Likewise, Tukhugov is of mixed ethnicity group.

Zubaira Tukhugov | Professional Career

Early Career

Zubaira started his career towards becoming an MMA fighter when he was only 19 years old. Growing up, he was extremely good at mixed martial arts and was a resilient fighter.

In his first professional match, he defeated three of his opponents to claim the Pankration Atrium Cup 2 title.

After that, his popularity grew, and shortly Fight Nights, a Russian promotion, signed him. Tukhugov won all of his fights, including Cage Warriors. Following his success in those fights, UFC signed him in 2013.

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Initial Career

In February of 2015, the fighter won his debut match. He was set to make his first appearance against a Brazillian fighter named Thiago Tavares.

However, due to injuries, Tavares pulled out of the UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Mousasi. Instead, he was replaced by another Brazillian fighter and newcomer.

Then, he stood opposite the American MMA fighter in the ring. He won the UFC Fight Night: Nelson vs. Story by a technical knockout.

The Russian athlete faced Thiago again at UFC Fight Night 68. But, due to Tukhugov’s rib injury, the match was canceled.

The fans and media appreciated and praised Warrior for his unique style and winning attitude.

Hence, he quickly created a huge fan base. After that, the former Lightweight fighter went up against another American mixed martial artist at UFC Fight Night 80 and won.

In his UFC career, he had his first loss against Brazillian fighter Renato Moicano.

Many of his fans and colleagues called the game unfair and poorly judged as Zubaira was kicked twice in the groin in the first and second rounds.

Regardless of that, the referee let the match continue leading to the Russian fighter’s loss.

Before the UFC Fight Night 102, the featherweight fighter had to withdraw. He dropped from the competition as he potentially tested positive for drugs.

The United States Anti-Doping Agency reported that there were traces of banned drugs in his sample.  

As a result, he faced a two-year suspension for his anti-doping violation on top of a ten thousand dollar fine. After serving the extended suspension, he engaged in yet another controversy, which led to his removal from UFC Fight Night 138.

After-Suspension Career

The athlete appeared in UFC 242 after three years in 2019 and fought against Lerone Murphy. The fight ended in a draw.

Although he hadn’t had a professional experience in a long time, he was still on his A-game. Furthermore, he took out an American martial artist at UFC Fight Night 168 through a technical knockout.

Warrior fought against Canadian fighter Hakeem Dawodu in his most recent fight at UFC 253 on September 27, 2020. However, Zubaira was four pounds over the featherweight division limit.

As a result, he had to pay a certain percentage of his salary to the Canadian fighter as a penalty. Hakeem won the match by split decision.

Likewise, on March 12, 2021, Tukhogov is planning to face Ricardo Ramos at UFC Fight Night 187.

Fight With Connor McGregor And Suspension

At UFC 229, Zubaira’s good friend and MMA legend Khabib Nurmagomedov won against the most decorated UFC fighter Connor McGregor cornerman Dillon Danis.

After the heated fight, a fight broke out between their teams. Khabib jumped over the fence to attack the Irish fighter’s cornerman, who had reportedly shouted insults at him.

In the meantime, everybody, including McGregor and Nurmagomedov’s cousin Abubakar was trying to exit the octagon.

However, a brawl broke out between the two when Connor punched Abubakar. While the cousin punched back, Zubaira joined in on the fight and hit McGregor from the back. However, security pulled him back.

As a result of his behavior and part in the fight, Tukhugov faced a one-year suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Along with the suspension, he had to pay a fine of $25,000.

Nevertheless, UFC later reduced the suspension to only 35 days. Media and fans almost anticipated the fight as Connor and Khabib were throwing insults before the UFC 229. 

As a result of his behavior and part in the fight, Tukhugov faced a one-year suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Along with the suspension, he had to pay a fine of $25,000. Nevertheless, UFC later reduced the suspension to only 35 days.

Media and fans almost anticipated the fight as Connor and Khabib were throwing insults before the UFC 229. 

After the incident, Tukhugov brags on social media about attacking McGregor. He said, ‘I slapped him as promised. I promised to make him answer for his words, and I did.”

Zubaira Tukhugov | Stats

Zubaira Tukhugov | Relationship And Kids

There is no information regarding the personal life of the featherweight fighter. He is relatively private about his family and life outside of MMA.

Nevertheless, sources have not been linked to anyone. The Russian fighter is reportedly single.

Furthermore, he is more focused on his career than relationships and has no marriage plans any time soon. Besides that, he does not have kids either.

Zubaira Tukhugov | Net Worth And Salary

Although the Russian athlete is an exceptional fighter, his exact net worth is not available.

Nevertheless, with all the success and the fights he wins, Warrior’s net worth estimation is somewhere between $500,000 to $1 million.

Besides that, he also earns from endorsements and sponsorships from several well-known brands and companies. Not to mention, his friend and popular figure in UFC, Nurmagomedov, reportedly has a net worth of $30 million.

Furthermore, Tukhugov is often with him, and many call him Khabib‘s confidant. The two have each other’s back and call each other brothers.

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Zubaira Tukhugov | Social Media Presence

Tukhugov is an active social media user. He has an Instagram following of 3.2 million. Furthermore, he shares photos with his family, friends, and colleagues.

Besides that, Warrior has posted videos of match highlights, training, and practice. He also has several pictures with Khabib, where they are seen traveling.

Apart from that, the fighter is also active on Twitter, with almost 15.5 thousand followers. However, he is relatively less active on this social media platform.

Regardless, he mostly tweets about UFC, fights, and MMA. In his account, he is usually in his practice gear and shares his training workouts.

Likewise, the Russian fighter is also available on Facebook with more than 27k followers. His Facebook feeds are full of activities related to fighting activities.

Common Queries

What happened to Zubaira Tukhugov?

Zubair Tukhugov tested positive for a banned drug. In a previously collected sample, the United States Anti-Doping Agency found traces of Ostraine.

As a result, he faced a two-year suspension. Furthermore, he paid a fine of ten thousand dollars for his anti-doping violation along.

After that, he faced another suspension. He was involved in the Connor-Khabib fight. Hence for his part in the fight, he received a year-long ban from UFC.

Nevertheless, UFC reduced the suspension to 35 days. Besides that, he paid a fine of $25,000.

Are Zubaira and Khabib friends?

Zubaira and Khabib are excellent friends and call each other brother. The duo has been tight since Tukhugov’s first fight in the United States.

Nurmagomedov showed up to support the then UFC Newcomer and fellow Russian MMA fighter. From there, the pair’s friendship developed to grow stronger and stronger.

How much is Zubaira Tukhugov’s Net Worth?

Zubaira Tukhugov’s net worth is estimated to be around $500,000 to $1 million.

The information regarding the exact amount of net-worth of Tukhugov is not available at the moment. However, he is considered as one of the wealthier MMA fighters.

Who is Zubaira Tukhugov?

Zubaira Tukhugov is a Russian Mixed-Martial artist who fights in the featherweight division at the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

He has fought in different promotions like Cage Warriors, ProFC, Fight Nights (EFN), and many more.