Javid Basharat

Javid Basharat (born 7 September 1995) is an Afghan-born English mixed martial artist who competes in the Bantamweight division of the Professional Fighters League (PFL). He has also competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Background

Javid and his younger brother Farid, who is also currently a UFC fighter, arrived in England from Afghanistan with their mother as refugees at the age of five, where they rejoined their father.

Basharat's journey in combat sports began with taekwondo at the age of 13, inspired by Afghanistan's Rohullah Nikpai's historic bronze medal win in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. His parents enrolled him in taekwondo for self-defense, recognizing his youthful energy and penchant for sparring with his brother. Although he initially honed his skills in England, Basharat hadn't yet heard of the UFC and was more familiar with the world of boxing. He was exposed to mixed martial arts at London Shootfighters.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Basharat maintained an undefeated record, fighting mostly on the English regional scene, starting out with his debut TKO win over Gino Kroes at "Rise of Champions 2" in April 2016. He continued with victories via submissions and TKOs in the next 9 bouts, claiming the CON Bantamweight Championship in 2018 and defending it successfully.

Basharat was invited to compete on Dana White's Contender Series Season 5, where he faced Israeli fighter Oron Kahlon. Kahlon missed weight by four pounds and was fined 20% of his purse. At the promotional face-off, Basharat rejected a handshake due to the missed weight. Kahlon then called Basharat a "terrorist", sparking controversy. Basharat dominated the fight, finishing Kahlon with a guillotine choke in the third round to earn a UFC contract.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

In his UFC debut, Basharat faced Trevin Jones at UFC Fight Night 203 on 11 March 2022. He won the bout via unanimous decision.

Basharat faced Tony Gravely at UFC Fight Night 210 on 17 September 2022. He won the bout via unanimous decision.

Basharat faced Mateus Mendonça at UFC Fight Night 217 on 14 January 2023. He won the bout via unanimous decision.

Basharat was scheduled to face Victor Henry on 23 September 2023, at UFC Fight Night 228. However, Henry withdrew for unknown reasons and the bout was rescheduled for UFC 294 on 21 October 2023. The fight ended in no-contest after an unintentional groin kick by Basharat rendered Henry unable to continue.

Basharat faced Aiemann Zahabi on 2 March 2024, at UFC Fight Night 238. He lost the bout by unanimous decision.

Basharat was scheduled to face Chris Gutiérrez on 3 August 2024 at UFC on ABC 7. The bout was moved one week later to 10 August at UFC on ESPN 61. One week before the event, Basharat withdrew due to an injury and was replaced with promotional newcomer Quang Le.

Basharat faced former LFA Bantamweight Champion Ricky Simón on 22 February 2025 at UFC Fight Night 252. He lost the fight by knockout in the first round.

Basharat was scheduled to face Said Nurmagomedov on 7 February 2026 at UFC Fight Night 266. However, Nurmagomedov was forced to pull out due to visa issues and was replaced by promotional newcomer Gianni Vazquez on 2 days notice. At the weigh-ins, Vázquez weighed in at 141 pounds, five pounds over the bantamweight non-title fight limit, so he was fined 25 percent of his purse which went to Basharat. Basharat won the fight by unanimous decision.

On February 10, 2026, it was reported that Basharat's contract expired with the promotion, following winning his most recent bout.

Championships and accomplishments

• Contenders Ltd CON Bantamweight Championship (One time) One successful title defence

Mixed martial arts record

See also

• List of current PFL fighters
• List of male mixed martial artists

External links

• fromSherdog
• atUFC