Adlan Amagov made an unexpected departure from competition, but he’s set to make a sudden return 10 years later.

The former Strikeforce fighter was MMA’s ‘Borz’ before Khamzat Chimaev became synonymous with that moniker with his recent success.

Amagov returned to the news cycle in 2025 when Jon Jones finally confirmed he’d been knocked out in training by the Russian welterweight early in his career.

People called the 40-year-old a UFC ‘what if’, having seen him disappear from the Octagon after going 2-0. Years later, fans will have the opportunity to see him compete once again.

Ex-UFC star Adlan Amagov books return in ACBJJ

After a submission loss to grappling specialist Aleksei Oleinik in his 2007 pro debut, Amagov went unbeaten across his next 11 fights.

That run included a knockout of Anthony Smith in Strikeforce but ended with a similarly violent loss to former UFC champion Robbie Lawler.

After making his way to the UFC in 2013, ‘Borz’ beat Chris Spang on the scorecards before knocking out TJ Waldburger.

That turned out to be it for Amagov’s Octagon career. He did not compete again until 2016, when he recorded an armlock submission win at a regional event in Krasnodar, Russia.

It was reported that Amagov had opted to step away from MMA at the age of 27 to focus on his family and to avoid continued strenuous weight cuts.

There’s no sign that the Russian competitor has changed that stance, with his upcoming return coming in the grappling realm.

Per Red Corner MMA, Amagov has signed with ACBJJ and will make his debut at an upcoming event. ACBJJ is a major international combat sports and grappling promotion that stages matches in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, as well as unique hybrid “Battle Match” events.

It is unclear why Amagov has decided to commit to a return in 2026 and to what extent he has been training during his decade-long stint out of action.

Just one of Amagov’s 14 victories in professional MMA came via submission, with eight coming via knockout and five via decision.

In addition to his career in the cage, ‘Borz’ became a world champion in Unifight, a competitive training competition with military applications.

How did Adlan Amagov drop UFC legend Jon Jones in training?

The story of Amagov dropping Jones behind closed doors was first made public by former interim UFC welterweight champ Carlos Condit.

‘Bones’ is widely regarded as the greatest of all time, with the only blemish on his pro record being a 2009 disqualification loss against Matt Hamill.

In the training room, though, it was alleged that a spinning back kick from Amagov put the legendary Rochester native out.

In 2025, Jones admitted that a sparring session with Amagov in Albuquerque did indeed end with him being sent to the floor by a brutal shot.