World Class Martial Artist Mairbek Taisumov Receives P-1 Visa

World Class Martial Artist Mairbek Taisumov Receives P-1 Visa

It is with immense pleasure that we announce our successful petition for a P-1 Visa for world class martial artist, Mr. Mairbek Taisumov, who had not been able to receive the US visa within a few years unless Sherrod Seward took his case!

Mairbek Taisumov has competed professionally since 2007 and has a smashing success in his MMA career.  However, despite this fact, he could not follow his dreams of competing with the same class martial artists in the USA just because of his visa issue. He was extremely upset that he couldn’t get the best promotions and the best competitors that he deserved to have and stated that a considerable number of martial artists had the same problems just because of political games without any fault from their side.

Managing Member of the firm, Sherrod Seward successfully presented the petition proving eligibility for the P-1 visa as a Professional Athlete to USCIS. He provided as many documents as possible for each of the criteria satisfied by Mr. Taisumov. 

The Athlete - Mairbek Taisumov

Mr. Mairbek Taisumov is a World Class Martial Artist and has been a world-class athlete competing professionally since 2007. He has a phenomenal track record of 27 wins and 6 losses in his 13-year MMA career.  He has proven his mettle through his exceptional talent and track record.

Petitioner - First Round Management

First Round Management is a top agent in the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA), based out of Miami, FL. It was founded by Malki Kawa, a seasoned veteran of high stakes negotiation who has secured some of the highest-paying endorsement deals in MMA. While representing some of the best MMA fighters and NFL football players at all levels, First Round Management is the employer of Mr. Mairbek Taisumov.

The P-1 Petition

We demonstrated that the petitioner, First Round Management, would like to extend the P-1A status upon Mr. Mairbek Taisumov. First Round Management considers Mr. Taisumov is an exceptionally talented martial artist who continues to compete towards a world championship. 

The petition presented Mr. Taisumov as a world-class athlete through his participation in international fights. Details and competition itinerary were provided along with a confirmation that Mr. Taisumov would be taking part in international athletic exhibitions with athletes befitting his global ranking and skill level.

To add weight to our case, we also revealed that the beneficiary’s skill level and rank was far beyond that of most American martial artists. Therefore, he would have to participate in international athletic exhibitions and competitions competing with other international athletes of his class and skill level.  

We informed the USCIS that highly ranked American fighters require other highly rated athletes to compete against. Competing against internationally renowned athletes would allow them to move up in global rankings.

International Rankings

We demonstrated Mr. Taisumov’s international rankings as presented on major martial arts databases like Tapology and Fight Matrix.

Mr. Taisumov’s Tapology ranking:


#37th Best MMA Lightweight Fighter worldwide

Mr. Taisumov’s Fight Matrix rankings:

  1. 25th Best Lightweight Fighter on 01/01/2019

  2. 44th Best Lightweight Fighter on 10/01/2020

Media Coverage

We were able to establish that Mr. Taisumov was featured in publications of international repute. We provided the title, date, and author of the title. 

The articles included in the petition were:

  1. Mairbek Taisumov Lands Thunderous KO Punch at UFC Rotterdam” – in Bleacher Report, September 2, 2017 

    1. Article

    2. About Bleacher Report

  2. “Mairbek Taisumov & Nordine Taleb will head to Sweden for UFC Fight Night” – in Tiger Muay Thai, May 12, 2017

    1. Article

    2. About Tigermuaythai.com

  3.  “UFC 203 Update_ Mairbek Taisumov to Face Nik Lentz on Sept. 10 in Cleveland”– on Sherdog, June 15, 2016 

    1. Article

    2. About Sherdog

  4. “UFC Fight Night Zagreb Bonuses: Lewis, Taisumov, Perez, Cannonier Pocket $50K”– on Sherdog, April 10, 2016 

    1. Article

    2. About Sherdog

  5. “UFC return still possible, but Mairbek Taisumov fielding offers from PFL, KSW and ACA” on Bloody Elbow, March 26, 2020

    1. Article

    2. About Bloody Elbow

  6. “UFC-Rotterdam bonuses: Zabit Magomedsharipov, Mairbek Taisumov earn $50K for finishes” on MMA Junkie, September 2, 2017

    1. Article

    2.  About MMA Junkie

We were able to clearly demonstrate that Mr. Taisumov’s rankings and international press coverage gained him acclaim around the world.

International Awards

In the petition we also presented the award that Mr. Taisumov had received:

  • Performance of the Night, UFC Fight Night 69, 2015

  • Performance of the Night, UFC Fight Night 86, 2016

  • Performance of the Night, UFC Fight Night 115, 2017

  • M-1 Selection 2010: Eastern Europe Finals, 2010

These are world championship events at the most significant competitions in the industry. It was proved that placing high in these competitions earns recognition and acclaim from competitors, judges, media, and fans in more than one country.

Thus, we had provided proof that Mr. Taisumov had met at least three of the required criteria and was thus eligible for a P-1 Visa.

For more information on how we help support professional athletes and coaches with O-1 and P-1 visas, please contact our offices at 310-209-8545.

Sherrod Seward