Georgi Karakhanyan

Georgi Karakhanyan is a Russian-born Armenian-American former professional mixed martial artist who competed in the Lightweight division.

A professional competitor since 2006, Karakhanyan has competed for the Bellator MMA, Absolute Championship Berkut, World Series of Fighting, DREAM, Tachi Palace Fights, and King of the Cage.

Karakhanyan is also the former WSOF Featherweight Champion.

Georgi was born in Moscow to Armenian parents and raised in Moscow, Russia.

He was introduced to martial arts by his father at the age of six (Georgi’s father has a black belt third dan in Shotokan Karate and he’s also a Sambo expert).

Georgi was just eight years old when he first fought in a full contact martial arts competition.

He began training in martial arts at a young age, but found his true love in soccer.

He competed at both the amateur and professional levels in Russia, Armenia, Spain and United Kingdom before coming to the United States and settling in Riverside, California.

Georgi holds American and Armenian citizenship.

He played in clubs Torpedo Moscow and Spartak Moscow.

After his soccer career, he began his MMA career while living and training at United Brazilian jiu-jitsu with Instructor, Rommel Dunbar in Riverside, California.

Georgi made his first professional MMA debut on October 13, 2006, just after six months of training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Although Karakhanyan never dreamt about cage fighting, winning his very first fight against a veteran MMA fighter in the KOTC, gave him enormous confidence and belief that he is on the right path which fueled his desire to give MMA all he had.

He joined Bellator to take part in their Season Two Featherweight Tournament and Season Four Featherweight Tournament.

In 2009, Georgi signed with Bellator and was part of the eight-man Featherweight Tournament of Bellator Fighting Championships: Season Two in 2010.

In the first round, he took on the veteran fighter Bao Quach at Bellator 13.

Karakhanyan won the fight via knockout (knee) at 4:05 of the first round, knocking Quach unconscious.

In the semifinals, Georgi faced highly acclimated wrestler and World Greco-Roman Wrestling Champion Joe Warren (Ranked #8 Featherweight in the world) at Bellator 18 and lost the fight via unanimous decision.

Joe Warren ended up winning the tournament and became the Bellator Featherweight Champion.

On December 2, 2011, Karakhanyan won the Tachi Palace Fights Featherweight Championship.

In 2011, Georgi returned for Bellator Fighting Championships: Season Four and faced Patrício Pitbull (Ranked #9 Featherweight in the world) in the first round.

Karakhanyan lost via TKO (punches) in the third round.

Patricio would also end up winning the tournament.

On December 2, 2011, at TPF 11: Redempton, Karakhanyan made his Tachi Palace Fights debut against former Tachi Palace Fights Featherweight Champion Isaac DeJesus for the vacant Tachi Palace Fights Featherweight Championship.

De Jesus had never lost his title in a bout; he was stripped of it when he failed to make weight.

Karakhanyan defeated De Jesus via triangle choke at 4:02 in the first round to become the new Tachi Palace Fights Featherweight Champion.

Karakhanyan was scheduled to fight The Ultimate Fighter 14 participant Micah Miller on March 9, 2012, at TPF 12: Second Coming in the first defense of his title, but the fight was later canceled due to an illness from Karakhanyan.

The bout was moved back to September 7, 2012, at TPF 14: Validation.

Karakhanyan defeated Miller via unanimous decision to retain his Tachi Palace Fights Featherweight Championship.

Karakhanyan became the first Tachi Palace Fights Featherweight Champion to defend his title.

Georgi defeated DREAM Featherweight Champion Hiroyuki Takaya at DREAM 18 (DREAM 18 & GLORY 4 Tokyo) on December 31, 2012, via split decision.

The scorecard that gave the fight to Takaya was highly controversial, as Karakhanyan was considered by many to be the clear winner.

He later vacated the title in 2013 when he signed with World Series of Fighting.

Karakhanyan competed on the main card in a fight against Waylon Lowe at World Series of Fighting 5 on September 14, 2013.

He won the fight via submission in the first round.

In November 2013, it was announced that Karakhanyan would be fighting for the inaugural WSOF Featherweight Championship against Ricky Glenn at WSOF 7.

But an injury to Glenn has forced him out of the title bout and replaced by undefeated featherweight Lance Palmer.

Karakhanyan won the bout via submission in the third round to become WSOF's first featherweight champion.

Karakhanyan made the first defense of his title on June 21, 2014, at World Series of Fighting 10: Branch vs. Taylor against Ricky Glenn.

Despite controlling most of the first round via submission attempts, Karakhanyan lost his title when he elected not to continue between the second and third round due to a rib injury.