Abubakar Nurmagomedov ends three-year absence with grappling rematch against David Zawada in Istanbul

Abubakar Nurmagomedov is set to end a three-year competitive absence when he faces David Zawada in an 84-kilogram (185-pound) wrestling rematch under the AIGA banner at ORA Arena in Istanbul, Turkey, on September 20. The bout is scheduled as part of the Global Grappling Series 2026.

The two men have history. When they met in the Octagon at UFC Moscow in November 2019, Zawada submitted Nurmagomedov with a first-round triangle choke — the German’s sole victory during a 1-4 UFC stint. Nurmagomedov finished his own UFC run at 2-2, and his most recent MMA appearance came in June 2023, when he dropped a split decision to Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos.

Nurmagomedov, a cousin of retired UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, is stepping back into competition in a grappling format rather than a full MMA contest, giving the 185-pound matchup a different complexion from their first encounter.

Zawada, meanwhile, arrives having competed across multiple promotions since leaving the UFC, including Oktagon MMA, the Professional Fighters League and KSW. His most recent outing came on August 1, when he lost to David Kozma under the Oktagon banner — meaning both men head into the Istanbul rematch on the back of defeats.

For Nurmagomedov, the Global Grappling Series appearance represents a low-stakes re-entry into competitive sport after more than two years on the sidelines. Whether it signals a broader return to MMA remains to be seen.