Despite U.S. sanctions, American fighter and two-time PFL champion Lance Palmer (23-6) will fight in Russia against Russian fighter Bibert Tumenov (12-2). The fight, which secures a ticket to the semifinals of the ACA featherweight grand prix, will take place on September 2 in Krasnodar at ACA 162.

“I visited Russia in 2000 and it was cool,” Palmer said. “I wrestled in Dagestan and Moscow. Russia is a very beautiful country. As for the sanctions, American fighters have already fought in Russia, and everything was fine with them. Therefore, I am sure that I will not have problems due to my performance in ACA.

“I am very happy to fight in the ACA, and I am sure I will get fans from Russia after my performances in the promotion. I never underestimate my opponents. I respect all his skills, but at the same time I am sure that my skill set in the cage is much more impressive than Tumenov’s. Bibert has very solid boxing, but his wrestling is not at such a high level. I have a lot of five-round fights behind me, and I will take him into deep water if necessary.”

The 35-year-old American, who will make his debut in the ACA, has 23 victories and six losses. Palmer won the PFL grand prix twice. In 2018, he won all the stages of the championship and received a $1 million check. In the 2019 season, Lance became a two-time PFL champion. The last time the American went into the cage a year ago, in June 2022 at PFL 5, as he defeated Sheymon Moraes by unanimous decision.

The 26-year-old Bibert Tumenov, nicknamed “Headhunter,” is one of the best strikers in Russian mixed martial arts. Tumenov has 12 victories, eight of them by knockouts, and two losses.

In the co-main event, former UFC fighter Brazilian Michel Prazeres (27-4) will square off against former ACA champion Abubakar Vagaev (21-4) in a quarterfinal of the ACA welterweight grand prix. Prazeres last fought in the UFC against Shavkat Rakhmonov in June 2021. This fight ended with the defeat of Prazeres by submission in the second round.