Why did Muslim Salikhov move to American Top Team?

Muslim Salikhov moved his training camp from Berkut FC in Russia to American Top Team in South Florida after his TKO loss to Li Jinliang at UFC on ABC 3. The fight with 'The Leech' in July this year ended Salikhov's five-fight win streak.

Muslim Salikhov will face Portuguese MMA fighter André Fialho in the main card of UFC Fight Night 215 on November 19 at the UFC Apex Arena.

The Russian fighter opened up about the loss and his move to a new fight camp at the UFC Fight Night 215 media scrum:

"Last fight was not so good for me. And I do [a] great camp in American Top Team. So, I'm excited for this fight, I'm ready... About [my] last fight, I just get the punch, you know? It always happens. Sometimes, it happens with the fighters. It's MMA, just one punch is enough to finish the fight."

Watch Salikhov's interview below:

Muslim Salikhov's last loss was in 2017, at UFC Fight Night 122 to Alex Garcia via rear-naked choke submission. When asked about his mental preparation for his upcoming bout, the 'King of Kung Fu' said:

"I changed everything. I changed my team. I came to America two and a half months ago. Before, I [used to] train with a small team with one coach. Now, I have changed everything, you know, and I feel that I've learnt a lot now and I feel more comfortable anywhere. Like, [in] wrestling, jiu-jitsu - every sparring [session] was great. I feel great right now, and I'm sure this fight will be different."

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Muslim Salikhov's alma mater: 'Five Directions of the World' martial arts school

Muslim Salikhov is an alumnus of the martial-arts boarding school called the 'Five Directions of the World' in Dagestan. The school was started by Gusein Magomaev and his wife after the couple fled to Dagestan from Moscow following political crackdowns by the Soviet Union on martial arts. Magomaev was a burgeoning karate and kung fu practitioner at the time in 1982.

Gusein Magomaev and his wife Olga recognized the need for a school to provide direction to youth who were disenfranchised by social unrest following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1990. The Five Directions of the World was formally established as a school in 1996.

Watch the documentary film below:

The school's curriculum combines academics with Sanda (Chinese boxing) and Taekwondo. The school admits children at the grade five-level after entrance and medical examinations. Only boys have the option to live at the school, whereas girls can attend classes but must return home after completing their lessons.

Notable alumni of the school include Muslim Salikhov, former UFC featherweight and retired MMA fighter Zabit Magomedsharipov, and ACA bantamweight champion Magomed Magomedov.