Idrees Bahrami brings the pedigree of nine-time amateur champions to the Nashville kickboxing eventIdrees Bahrami brings the pedigree of the championship to the Nashville kickboxing show – pre-fight interview
Idrees Bahrami I recently talked to a FightBook MMA correspondent Gabriel Padilla to discuss his upcoming fight. Watch the full interview in the video below.
Nashville fight fans will soon witness one of the most decorated amateur strikers on the card when emerging kickboxing talent Idrees Bahrami takes center stage at the upcoming professional kickboxing event at Marathon Music Works.
With a remarkable amateur resume and multiple national titles in major combat sports organizations, Bahrami comes to Nashville bringing both momentum and championship expectations.
A champion built in the amateur ranks
Some players talk about experience – Idrees Bahrami gained it through the championship.
The rising striker has collected nine amateur titles, competing on respected platforms such as:
International Kickboxing Federation
World Association of Kickboxing Organizations
Muay Thai in the highest league
Throughout his amateur career, Bahrami consistently faced elite competition while building a reputation as a tenacious pressure fighter with the ability to finish fights decisively.
His master achievements include:
IKF Classic 2021 National World Champion
IKF West Coast Super Middleweight 170lb Champion
West Coast Classic National Champion at 170 pounds
IKF 165-pound middleweight national champion
Silver medalist of the 2025 WAKO Kickboxing Championships
2026 Super Middleweight Muay Thai National Champion
Seven-time Muay Thai champion with knockout power
In addition to his distinctions in kickboxing, Bahrami has also proven himself in the world of Muay Thai. The powerful striker won seven Muay Thai championships, establishing himself as a perilous offensive fighter with a reputation for constant pressure.
One of his most impressive performances came during YOUR USA vs. Europe International Showdownwhere Bahrami stopped the Irish champion by second-round knockout in the 165-pound weight class.
The victory demonstrated his ability to compete with international competition and confirmed that his success goes far beyond regional events.
Representing Team USA on the K1 stage
Bahrami’s achievements also earned him a place on the ranking list USA K1 Kickboxing National Teamwhich allowed him to represent the United States on the international stage.
Competing at this level requires not only elite hitting ability, but also the discipline and mental toughness needed to perform under pressure.
These qualities are exactly what Bahrami plans to bring when he steps into the ring in Nashville.
Nashville Fight fans are ready for a groundbreaking performance
With an extensive amateur career and growing momentum as a professional striker, Bahrami now aims to prove that his championship pedigree translates to the next level.
When he steps into Marathon Music Works, he won’t be just another fighter on the card.
He will be a multi-time champion looking to make a statement.
For fight fans in Nashville, this could mean meeting the next breakout star of American kickboxing.
And if Bahrami continues to perform like he has throughout his career, Music City fans may soon understand why opponents across the country have learned one lesson the challenging way:
When Idrees Bahrami steps into the ring, he’s not chasing moments.
Oscar De La Hoya believes Zuffa Boxing is trying to fool fighters by offering select names bigger paydays in the short term.
Recently, the promotion booked its biggest match to date with Conor Benn challenging Ryan Garcia for the WBC welterweight title on Sept. 12. Benn is signed to Zuffa Boxing, while Garcia is under De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions. While this will be a co-promoted event, De La Hoya still has major issues with TKO and Zuffa Boxing.
In a new video posted on his Instagram page, De La Hoya ripped the Dana White-led promotion for attempting to trick boxers into thinking their big money payouts will last (via MMAFighting).
“So I saw The Odyssey the other day,†De La Hoya said. “It was about the Greeks and how they invaded the city of Troy by disguising themselves inside a Trojan Horse. They tricked their enemies to get inside their gates and the rest is history. Today, Zuffa Boxing is the Trojan Horse.
“They are overpaying a few boxers to make it seem like this big money will continue, but it won't. Once they monopolize the sport like they want to, Zuffa will pay fighters peanuts, exactly like the UFC. It's the same model. They want to change the Muhammad Ali Act so they can operate as their own league with their own rules, their own rankings, their own unicorn belt. They're luring in the biggest names for fight-by-fight deals. No long contracts. That's why you see Shakur and Conor fighting a one- or two-fight deal. Never a long-term deal. But again, this is the Trojan Horse.â€
Shakur Stevenson has been Zuffa Boxing's biggest acquisition to date. The deal was largely expected given Terence Crawford's close ties to White. Crawford has taken Stevenson under his wing throughout the years.
Many other longtime promoters, such as Matchroom's Eddie Hearn, have also taken aim at Zuffa for attempting to monopolize boxing. White has insisted that he's doing his own thing and isn't trying to step on anyone's toes.
Do you agree with Oscar De La Hoya, or is it sour grapes now that Zuffa Boxing is establishing its brand? Share your opinion in the comments below.
A pivotal women’s flyweight matchup has been removed from the next
Ultimate Fighting Championship numbered event.
Erin
Blanchfield’s bout against Jasmine
Jasudavicius has been scrapped from the Aug. 15 card at Xfinity
Mobile Arena in Philadelphia due to an injury on Blanchfield's end,
per MMA Junkie's Nolan King. The promotion is reportedly looking to
rebook the contest for a UFC Fight Night event on Oct. 17 at Rogers
Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, instead.
The withdrawal marks the first time Blanchfield has been forced out
of a fight during her UFC tenure. She is on a two-fight win streak,
beating Rose
Namajunas and Tracy
Cortez in her most recent Octagon appearances.
Meanwhile, Jasudavicius was looking to build on a unanimous
decision win over Karine
Silva in April. With her clash with Blanchfield now being
targeted for the next UFC event in Canada, she'll have the crowd
behind her when they eventually collide.
The UFC 330 lineup is currently as follows:
Islam
Makhachev vs. Ian Machado
Garry – for welterweight title Mackenzie
Dern vs. Gillian
Robertson – for women’s strawweight title Edson
Barboza vs. Esteban
Ribovics Tresean
Gore vs. Vicente
Luque Mansur
Abdul-Malik vs. Dustin
Stoltzfus Myktybek
Orolbai vs. Jeremiah
Wells Geoff
Neal vs. Chidi
Njokuani Ramiz
Brahimaj vs. Neil
Magny Kaue
Fernandes vs. Jalin
Turner Charles
Johnson vs. Jose
Ochoa Lucas
Fernando vs. Rafael
Tobias Donte
Johnson vs. Eric
McConico
After 15 years, Darren Elkins is set for his final UFC bout. |
📷: Getty/UFC
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship has finalized the lineup for its
next Fight Night at Meta Apex in Las Vegas, including Octagon
veteran Darren
Elkins' final appearance in the promotion.
The card, headlined by Mateusz
Gamrot and Quillan
Salkilld, is scheduled for Aug. 8.
UFC Fight Night lineup features Darren Elkins vs. Yadier Del
Valle and Gamrot vs. Salkilld
Elkins (29-12) will square off against
Dana White's Contender Series alum Yadier Del
Valle.
The 42-year-old has been on the UFC roster since 2010, earning
memorable victories over the likes of Mirsad
Bektic, Michael
Johnson, Dennis
Bermudez and Luiz
Eduardo Garagorri. Furthermore, Elkins has shared the cage with
several former champions and fan favorites, albeit in losing
efforts, against Alexander
Volkanovski, Charles
Oliveira, Chad Mendes
and UFC Hall of Famer Cub
Swanson.
New matchups added to the card include Ty Cole
Miller vs. Billy Goff,
Juliana
Miller vs. Ravena
Oliveira, Diego
Ferreira vs. Billy
Quarantillo and Diyar
Nurgozhay vs. Bruno
Lopes, among others. Gamrot and Salkilld lock horns in the main
event, with former strawweight title challenger Amanda
Lemos facing Alexia
Thainara in the co-headliner.
The updated card as of June 23 is as follows:
Mateusz
Gamrot vs. Quillan
Salkilld (lightweight main event) Amanda
Lemos vs. Alexia
Thainara (women's strawweight) Diego
Ferreira vs. Billy
Quarantillo (lightweight) Steven
Asplund vs. Guilherme
Pat (heavyweight) Diyar
Nurgozhay vs. Bruno Lopes
(light heavyweight) Louie
Sutherland vs. Jose Luiz
(heavyweight) Juliana
Miller vs. Ravena
Oliveira (women’s flyweight) Darren
Elkins vs. Yadier Del
Valle (featherweight) Ty
Cole Miller vs. Billy Goff
(welterweight)