Afghan mixed martial artist Ahmad Wali Hotak marked a triumphant return to the international arena on Friday evening, defeating Russian MMA fighter Saiged Zirkov in the Global Series Open competition held in Minsk.
Competing in the 70-kilogram weight class, Hotak secured the win using a submission technique — a move designed to force an opponent to concede due to pain or physical incapacity. The bout took place at Prime Hall stadium in the Belarusian capital.
The victory was Hotak’s first since returning to professional fighting after a three-year hiatus. With the win, he brings his career record to 11 victories.
This was the opening bout for Hotak in the current Global Series Open. His opponent, Zirkov, entered the match with three wins and one loss and now holds a 3–2 record after suffering his second defeat.
The two fighters have faced each other multiple times before. Hotak has now won three of their four matchups, with Zirkov claiming a single victory.
In a message posted to his Facebook page, Hotak dedicated the win to the people of Afghanistan and expressed gratitude to his supporters for their continued encouragement.
