Amirkhani was born in Kermanshah, Iran and is Kurdish. Amirkhani adheres to Yarsanism. Treated as infidels, the family fled the muslim country to Iraq and settled in UNHCR's Al-Tash refugee camp. In the aftermath of the Iran–Iraq War, the family were resettled to Vaasa, Finland, around 1993. Growing up as a small-sized immigrant in Vaasa, Amirkhani was subjected to serious physical and mental bullying from daycare up until the upper comprehensive school. He moved with his family to Turku in 2004, where he went to the upper comprehensive school. Amirkhani moved to Kotka to study in a high school suited for students with professional sports aspirations. However, he dropped out of the school and moved back to Turku where he failed to graduate from high schools twice. Eventually on a third try, he was accepted to study in Pajulahti Sports Institute from where he graduated. Like many other young kids in Iran, he hails from an amateur wrestling background, having trained since the age of four, and won numerous titles in both the styles of Greco-Roman and Freestyle wrestling.
Despite growing up in Finland, Amirkhani remains proud of his Kurdish heritage. At a June 2015 weigh-in to his fight, he held a Kurdistan flag aloft as he stood on the scales. He also frequently posts in support for the Peshmerga on his social media accounts. He also holds the Kurdish flag during weigh ins in the UFC. Makwan is proud of where he is from and a large part of his fan base are Kurds.
Amirkhani began training in mixed martial arts at the age of 16 and had his first professional fight in 2010. Competing on the regional circuit solely in Finland, he compiled a record of 10–2, with eight finishes, all by submission and all in the first round, before signing with the UFC in December 2014.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Amirkhani made his promotional debut against Andy Ogle on January 24, 2015 at UFC on Fox 14. He won the fight via TKO only 8 seconds into the first round. He also earned a Performance of the Night bonus. Amirkhani was briefly linked to a bout with Diego Rivas on June 20, 2015 at UFC Fight Night 69. However, shortly after the bout was announced, Rivas was pulled from the fight due to undisclosed reasons and replaced by Masio Fullen. Amirkhani won the fight by submission due to a rear naked choke in the first round. Amirkhani faced Mike Wilkinson on February 27, 2016 at UFC Fight Night 84. He won the fight by unanimous decision. Amirkhani faced Arnold Allen on 18 March 2017 at UFC Fight Night 107. He lost the fight by split decision. Amirkhani faced Jason Knight on 27 May 2018 at UFC Fight Night 130 Amirkhani won the back-and-forth fight via split decision, after being knocked down twice with uppercuts. Amirkhani faced Chris Fishgold at on 1 June 2019. He won the fight via an anaconda choke submission in the second round. The win also earned Amirkhani his second Performance of the Night bonus award. Amirkhani faced Shane Burgos on 2 November 2019 at UFC 244. He lost the fight via TKO in the third round. Amirkhani was expected to face Mike Grundy at on March 21, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was eventually postponed and the bout scrapped. Instead Amirkhani faced Danny Henry on July 12, 2020 at UFC 251. He won the fight via a submission in round one.
Personal life
Amirkhani is one of eight children; his brother and father both died in car accidents after the family moved to Finland. Makwan has worked as a model and was the 1st runner-up in 2012 Mr. Finland pageant, which his nickname refers to. After finding success in MMA career, he has also been seen in several reality TV shows in his native Finland and has released an autobiography in 2017.
Amateur boxing
Makwan Amirkhani has fought five times in amateur boxing. He would have had his fifth fight in December 2018 in Somero instead of January 2019, if he would not have refused to a new replacement opponent who was an experienced and heavier boxer.
Championships and accomplishments
Mixed martial arts
Ultimate Fighting Championship
*Performance of the Night vs. Andy Ogle and Chris Fishgold
