Finnfighters' Gym (formerly)[5] TuTo (formerly)[5] Turku Muay Thai (2014–2024)[5][6] Allstars Training Center (2014–2015)[5] SBG Ireland (2016–2024)[5] MA Training Center (2021–2024)[4][7]
Amirkhani was born in Kermanshah, Iran into a Kurdish family.[9][10] The family fled from Iran to Iraq and settled in UNHCR's Al-Tash refugee camp.[5] In the aftermath of the Iran–Iraq War, the family were resettled to Vaasa, Finland, around 1993.[5] Growing up as a small-sized immigrant in Vaasa, Amirkhani was subjected to serious physical and mental bullying from daycare up until the upper comprehensive school.[5] He moved with his family to Turku in 2004, where he went to the upper comprehensive school.[6] Amirkhani moved to Kotka to study in a high school suited for students with professional sports aspirations.[6] However, he dropped out of the school and moved back to Turku where he failed to graduate from high schools twice.[6] Eventually on a third try, he was accepted to study in Pajulahti Sports Institute from where he graduated.[6]
His background is in amateur wrestling, having trained since a young age, competing for the Finnish national team; winning silver in the Finnish National Championship in Freestyle in 2010 and bronze in 2013 in Greco-Roman wrestling.[2][12][13]
Mixed martial arts career
Early career
Amirkhani began training in mixed martial arts at the age of 16 and had his first professional fight in 2010. Competing on the regional circuit solely in Finland, he compiled a record of 10–2, with eight finishes, all by submission and all in the first round, before signing with the UFC in December 2014.[14]
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Amirkhani made his promotional debut against Andy Ogle on 24 January 2015 at UFC on Fox 14.[15] He won the fight via TKO only 8 seconds into the first round.[16] He also earned a Performance of the Night bonus.[17]
Amirkhani was briefly linked to a bout with Diego Rivas on 20 June 2015 at UFC Fight Night 69.[18] However, shortly after the bout was announced, Rivas was pulled from the fight due to undisclosed reasons and replaced by Masio Fullen.[19] Amirkhani won the fight by submission due to a rear naked choke in the first round.[20][21]
In January 2017, Amirkhani signed a new, four-fight contract with the UFC.[5] In the first bout he faced Arnold Allen on 18 March 2017 at UFC Fight Night 107.[24] He lost the fight by split decision.[25]
Amirkhani faced Jason Knight on 27 May 2018 at UFC Fight Night 130[26] Amirkhani won the back-and-forth fight via split decision, after being knocked down twice with uppercuts.[27]
Amirkhani was scheduled to face Nate Landwehr on 5 June 2021 at UFC Fight Night 189.[39] However, Landwehr was pulled from the event due to injury[40] and he was replaced by newcomer Kamuela Kirk.[41] Amirkhani lost the bout via unanimous decision.[42]
Amirkhani was scheduled to face Tristan Connelly on 30 October 2021 at UFC 267.[43] However, Connelly withdrew in early September due to a neck injury and was replaced by Lerone Murphy.[44][45] Amirkhani lost the bout via knock out with a knee after getting caught shooting for a takedown at the beginning of the second round.[46]
Amirkhani faced Mike Grundy at UFC Fight Night 204 on 19 March 2022, in a rebooked bout after almost two years to date when they were originally set to compete.[47] Amirkhani won the fight via a technical submission with an Anaconda choke in round one.[48] With this win, he received the Performance of the Night award.[49]
Amirkhani faced Jack Shore on 18 March 2023, at UFC 286.[52] He lost the fight via a rear-naked choke submission in the second round.[53]
On 5 June 2023, news surfaced that Amirkhani had fought out his contract and the organization opted not to renew it.[54]
Octagon MMA
On 12 August 2023, Amirkhani announced that he had signed a contract with Oktagon MMA and expects to make his promotional debut in lightweight division during 2023. He also revealed that he will partake the promotion's upcoming million euro tournament in 2024.[55][56] After getting knocked out at the beginning of the third round against Mochamed Machaev, Amirkhani announced his intention to retire from the sport.[57][58]
After his loss, he expressed a desire to return to fight one last time and pleaded his fans to vote him as one of two “lucky losers”,[59] who would then re-enter the tournament in a reserve match. Subsequently, the Kurdish Amirkhani and Turkish Attila Korkmaz got picked and were set to face each other at Oktagon 58. Amirkhani (hinting at the Kurdish-Turkish conflict) stated prior to the bout in a post on his personal Instagram page that the match between him and Korkmaz is “more important than all the fights combined” and told his Kurdish fans to fill the arena with Kurdish nationalist colours.[60][61] Amirkhani lost the match after being picked up and slammed into the canvas by Korkmaz and submitted via a rear-naked choke in the third round.[62]
The aforementioned slam had caused Amirkhani to dislocate his glenohumeral joint; the rotator cuff had also punctured and required extensive surgery. After the operation, he expressed uncertainty about returning to fighting.[63]
Ice Cage Fighting
Following his loss against Korkmaz, Amirkhani was dropped from Octagon MMA. Later, it was announced that Amirkhani had signed with the Finnish regional MMA promotion ‘Ice Cage Fighting’, marking Amirkhani’s return to the MMA scene of his early career. His bout against Chilean native Fernando Flores will be the main event of Ice Cage Fighting 3, scheduled to take place on 28 December 2024.
Professional grappling career
Amirkhani competed in the ADCC North European Open on August 18, 2023 where he went 3-1 and won a bronze medal in the 76 kg division.[64]
Personal life
Amirkhani is one of eight children; his brother and father both died in car accidents shortly after the family moved to Finland.[65]
Makwan has worked as a model and was the 1st runner-up in 2012 Mr. Finland pageant, which his nickname refers to.[66]
Makwan and his partner have a son (born 2022).[67]
Controversy
On July 12, 2021 several Finnish newspapers reported that Jethro Rostedt, a then 45 year-old Finnish real estate agent and Turku city council member, filed a criminal report against Amirkhani due to threats and slander. In a Facebook post that Amirkhani quickly deleted, he threatened Rostedt with violence and expressed disparaging comments about him and his son after he seemingly became irritated by Rostedt who shared his opinion on a gang fight involving Amirkhani’s sister and dozens of other people of ”a foreign background” that occurred in a restaurant that Rostedt owns.[68][69]
Amateur boxing
Makwan Amirkhani has fought five times in amateur boxing. He would have had his fifth fight in December 2018 in Somero instead of January 2019, had he not refused a new replacement opponent who was an experienced and heavier boxer.[70]
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