TLDR
- Former MMA fighter Farhod Rakhimzoda has reportedly died in prison, though authorities have not confirmed his death
- He was serving a 23-year sentence for murdering Olga Yaroslavtseva, 39, and her five-year-old daughter in January 2024
- Prosecutors said he targeted the victims after learning Yaroslavtseva had received a substantial inheritance
- Rakhimzoda worked as a taxi driver and met the victims through his job before killing them and stealing their car and money
- He was arrested at the Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan border five days after the murders and convicted in October 2025
Sources: yardbarker.com | en.haberler.com | needtoknow.co.uk
Former mixed martial arts fighter Farhod Rakhimzoda has reportedly died while serving a 23-year prison sentence for double murder. Russian media outlets claim the 33-year-old, known by his fighting nickname “Tiger Eye,” died in custody, though authorities have not officially confirmed his death or disclosed when or how it occurred.
Rakhimzoda was convicted in October 2025 of murdering 39-year-old Olga Yaroslavtseva and her five-year-old daughter in Novosibirsk, Russia. The killings took place in January 2024 and shocked the region due to the brutal nature of the crimes.
💔 Farhod Rakhimzoda, the 33-year-old MMA fighter known as “Tiger Eye,” has reportedly died in prison. Russian outlets reported his death on September 11. No cause has been reported.
In October 2025, a court sentenced him to 23 years in prison after convicting him in the deaths… pic.twitter.com/MtI5d8wIFI
— Knowledge Ocean News (@marlin_wizard) October 12, 2026
According to prosecutors, Rakhimzoda targeted Yaroslavtseva after learning she had received a substantial inheritance from her late grandmother. The former cage fighter, who also worked as a taxi driver, allegedly planned to steal her money to purchase a home for his family.
The Timeline of the Murders
Rakhimzoda first met Yaroslavtseva when she hired him as a taxi driver. She had recently moved to Novosibirsk from Kazakhstan with her young daughter and told him about her plans to buy a car using inheritance money.
The two remained in contact before Rakhimzoda allegedly arranged another trip with the mother and daughter on January 20, 2024. Investigators said he drove them to an isolated location where he stabbed Yaroslavtseva to death in front of her daughter.
He then reportedly drove around with the child in the vehicle before strangling her. He disposed of both bodies in separate locations around Novosibirsk.
Rakhimzoda stole cash, a mobile phone, and Yaroslavtseva’s vehicle, which investigators valued at approximately 5.5 million Russian rubles, or about ÂŁ49,500. He later sold the car.
When friends called Yaroslavtseva’s phone looking for her, Rakhimzoda answered and told them, “The girls are sleeping, I won’t wake them up.” The phone was switched off several hours later.
Yaroslavtseva’s body was eventually discovered near a motorway. Her daughter’s remains were found buried beneath snow on the outskirts of Novosibirsk, in an area between Khiloksky market and the village of Tolmachevo.
Arrest and Conviction
As police searched for him, Rakhimzoda attempted to flee Russia. Before his arrest, he reportedly told his mother-in-law that Yaroslavtseva had attacked him with a knife and that he killed her in self-defense.
He gave his mother-in-law bundles of cash, claiming the money was intended to help his wife obtain a mortgage. She later handed the money over to investigators.
Rakhimzoda was arrested at the Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan border five days after the killings. His wife, with whom he had two children at the time, subsequently divorced him.
Despite maintaining that the deaths were accidental, Rakhimzoda was convicted of double murder and robbery in October 2025. He received a 23-year prison sentence.
Before his conviction, Rakhimzoda had competed professionally in Russia’s MMA featherweight division. He recorded four victories and six losses over 10 professional bouts.
Russian media reports now claim Rakhimzoda has died while serving his sentence. However, no official statement has been released by prison authorities regarding the date, cause, or circumstances of his reported death.
