One of the brightest young stars in the PFL is in the battle of his life.
On Tuesday, Russian media broke the news that PFL featherweight champion Timur Kizlief was shot five times with a rubber bullet in Mahachakkala, Dagestan, Russia. Khizriev is reportedly in a stable state, but has undergone surgery with numerous injuries to his shoulders, hands and chest.
Khizriev was reportedly ambushed by two men in the courtyard of the house while he was leaving the car. Police arrested one suspect, but two reportedly fled. Witnesses said that Kizriev’s assailant screamed humiliation when he ran away to Kizriev’s family.
There is also a video of the incident reportedly.
At Makhachkala, PFL champion Timur Hizriev (18-0) was shot.
The two masks were forced to Timur in the courtyard of a residential building on Daniyarov Street. When he left Gelendvagen, the attackers opened fire. The athlete got five bullets from a pistol injury. Hislief in the operating room is alive. pic.twitter.com/knun4nyrkx
-MMA Newspaper (@vestnikmma) July 15, 2025
Khizriev’s team confirmed that the MMA battle had happened and that Khizriev was recovering in the hospital, not life-threatening danger.
The PFL on Wednesday issued a statement on the reported incident indicating that they know what happened, sending their best wishes to one of their upstarts.
“The PFL is aware of the situation regarding Timur Kizlief and continues to be in close contact with his representative,” the statement reads. “Our idea is with him and his family at this time.”
Undefeated 18-0, 29-year-old Kizlief previously fought for Bellator before joining the PFL in 2024. Khizriev won the featherweight title with a unanimous decision over Brendan Loughnane at the PFL Championship.
Damon Martin contributed to this report.