When you sit down with Ramil Kamilov, it quickly becomes obvious that mixed martial arts isn't just something he does—it's who he is.
The amateur lightweight fighting out of Calgary has weathered significant challenges growing up. Through it all, though, 21-year-old Kamilov has stayed locked in and eager for whatever comes next in his fighting career.
He recently picked up a victory at XFFC 21—the first bout he's competed in in almost two years—and he didn't skip a beat, continuing to deliver the kind of exciting matchups fans love.
"Every single one of my bouts, if you watch them, has been thrilling. If mixed martial arts is truly an art form, then I paint masterpieces," Kamilov declared.
His path back to competition—and the road stretching back to his youth—hasn't been easy.
Born and raised in Aktau, Kazakhstan, young Kamilov frequently found himself in street brawls trying to protect himself from other children.
"If a group of Kazak kids surrounded me, they'd jump me on the spot," he recalled, speaking about the racial tensions that existed in his hometown.
Once his family relocated to Calgary when he was 13, Kamilov finally began pursuing MMA in earnest.
Even though Kamilov had previous experience with taekwondo and wrestling, he didn't discover mixed martial arts until settling in Canada.
One day while browsing random fight footage on YouTube, Kamilov stumbled upon a Fedor Emelianenko bout. Something clicked immediately.
"When I watched that guy fight, that's what really got me into MMA. I looked at it and thought, wow, this is incredible."
The Beginning
That inspiration drove him to Champions Creed Gym in Calgary. At first, the level of commitment required to train full-time as an MMA fighter overwhelmed him, but eventually he found his groove.
"I'd walk in and try to spar with everyone as hard as I could. I figured it would toughen me up, but I realized I needed to dial it way back," Kamilov said.
"I didn't start treating it seriously until I turned 16, heading into 17."
Once he settled into Champions Creed, Kamilov spoke highly of the coaching staff at the gym he considers home.
"It's definitely a large gym, but the coaching staff there is just outstanding," he said.
The lightweight fighter kicked off his MMA career with two consecutive victories over three weeks. That second win earned him a spot in the finals of the 2017 Canadian MMA National Amateur Championships. Kamilov fell short in that championship bout, and the hard defeat forced him to reassess his approach.
"I had too much heart to walk away at that point," he reflected.
According to Kamilov, after that loss he desperately wanted to rebound quickly and rushed back into the gym too soon, which caused injuries that derailed his comeback attempt.
"I pushed myself way too hard, way too fast, and got hurt all over again. That was an incredibly painful emotional period."
The injury was especially crushing for Kamilov because he had pictured himself competing at the IMMAF World Championships that fall—only to watch that dream slip through his fingers.
That happened almost two years ago now.
The Turn Around
During his time away from the cage, Kamilov never let his passion for fighting fade. He kept training and studying, and even launched his own academy where he teaches younger athletes muay thai and kickboxing.
RK Fight Lab serves as a training hub for kids and teens, but Kamilov finds coaching deeply rewarding—and it's actually helping him develop into a more complete martial artist.
"It's done wonders for developing me as a fighter because being a coach forces me to pay attention to details," he said.
Beyond opening the academy, Kamilov said he found new ways to condition himself. He credits heavy emphasis on strength training, visualization exercises, and movement drills as major factors that carried him through his competitive absence.
So even without stepping inside the cage for an extended stretch, he stayed completely engaged with every part of the fighting world.
"Real success in this sport only happens when you put in the extra work," Kamilov said when discussing his training philosophy.
The nearly two-year break finally ended in March when he returned to action with a unanimous decision win in Grande Prairie at XFFC 21.
"Getting back in there after two years was rough—the nerves were real. But I was thrilled to be back."
The situation mirrors what happened two years prior. In 2017, Kamilov fought just three weeks before Nationals, and this time he followed the exact same timeline.
This time around, however, Kamilov is determined not to repeat history and instead aims to capture the 2019 Canadian MMA National Amateur Championships in April.
"I feel solid for it. There's always some uncertainty because you never know who's going to show up. It adds to the nerves since there's less you can control, but it also makes it fun in its own way."
The Canadian MMA Nationals are approaching fast, and Kamilov wants to leave his mark on a tournament that eluded him a couple years back.
"I feel good for it, man."
