Let’s take a moment to unpack what might be one of the wildest and most surreal MMA-adjacent stories we’ve seen in a while — and I don’t say that lightly. Timur Khizriev, the undefeated PFL featherweight champion, just went through something out of a Bourne Identity movie, and there’s actual surveillance footage to prove it.
So here’s what happened: Khizriev — who, mind you, is 18-0 and fresh off a dominant 2024 PFL title win — was in a residential parking lot in Dagestan, doing something totally normal, unloading a bag from an SUV. Nothing flashy, nothing attention-grabbing. But suddenly, two masked men show up out of nowhere. They’re not just lurking. They pounce. One of them creeps up behind him and fires — reportedly at point blank range.
Now here’s where it gets intense. Instead of going down or panicking, Khizriev does what only a champion — and I mean true champion — would do: he turns and fights back. Despite being shot (with rubber bullets, as reports now say), he manages to take down his attacker. And while this chaotic struggle unfolds on the ground, the second gunman starts opening fire from a distance. It’s absolutely harrowing to watch, and frankly, it could’ve ended so much worse.
Russian media outlet VestnikMMA shared the video on Tuesday, and it’s now being watched by stunned fans around the globe. The attack reportedly happened on July 15, and Khizriev was hit five times, sustaining injuries to his shoulder, hand, and chest. The good news? His manager, Rizvan Magomedov, says he’s in stable condition: “He’s in hospital now. He’s fine. Life is not in danger.”
🚨В Махачкале расстреляли чемпиона PFL Тимура Хизриева (18-0).
Двое в масках подкараулили Тимура во дворе жилого дома на улице Даниялова. Когда он вышел из гелендвагена, нападавшие открыли стрельбу. В спортсмена попали 5 пуль от травмата пистолета. Хизриев в операционной, жив. pic.twitter.com/KnUN4NYRKX
— Вестник ММА (@VestnikMMA) July 15, 2025
Khizriev hasn’t fought since last November when he beat Brendan Loughnane to become the PFL featherweight champion. That win was a big moment for him and it extended his unbeaten streak.
Now, instead of celebrating a return to the cage, he’s recovering from a targeted shooting. Let that sink in.
We have no idea who was behind the attack or why it took place. What’s truly incredible is how Khizriev responded in the moment. His instincts — honed from years in the cage — may have just saved his life.
