Vitaly Minakov

Vitaly Minakov
Виталий Минаков
Born Vitaly Viktorovich Minakov
(1985-02-06) February 6, 1985
Bryansk, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Nationality Russian
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[1]
Weight 249 lb (113 kg; 17.8 st)[2]
Division Heavyweight (265 lb)
Reach 78 in (198 cm)
Fighting out of Bryansk, Russia
Fairfield, New Jersey
Team RusFighters Sport Club (USA)
Fight Nights Team
Greg Jackson
Rank 1st Razryad Grand Master in Sambo
Black Belt in Judo[3]
Master of Sports in Freestyle Wrestling
Years active 2010–present
Mixed martial arts record
Total 17
Wins 17
By knockout 9
By submission 6
By decision 2
Losses 0
Other information
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
Vitaly Minakov
Medal record
Competitor for  Russia
Men's Sambo
World Championships
2008 St. Petersburg +100 kg
2009 Thessaloniki +100 kg
2010 Tashkent +100 kg
2011 Vilnius +100 kg
Russian National Championships
2008 Moscow +100 kg
2009 Dmitrov +100 kg
2010 Yaroslav +100 kg
2011 Viksa +100 kg
2013 Khabarovsk +100 kg

Vitaly Viktorovich Minakov (Russian: Виталий Викторович Минаков; born February 6, 1985, Bryansk) is an Ethnic Russian sambist, judoka and undefeated mixed martial artist currently fighting in heavyweight division for the Bellator MMA, where he is the Bellator Heavyweight Champion. He is Ranked top 10 in the world by Sherdog.

2012 Olympics

Because Vitaly is a numerous Sambo World Champion and a Junior Russian National Champion in Judo, he considered competing at the 2012 Olympics in London. It is unknown why he didn't make the team. In his 2010 interview, he also stated that he beat Teddy Riner, a numerous World Judo Champion and an Olympic Gold Medalist in a training/sparring session in 2006.[4]

Mixed martial arts career

MMA career

Minakov made his professional MMA debut in November 2010. He is a Sambo World Champion, (2008-2011).

Minakov defeated UFC and Bellator veteran Eddie Sanchez on June 7, 2012 at Fight Nights - Battle of Moscow 7. He won via KO in the first round.

Minakov defeated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion and UFC veteran Fabiano Scherner on September 17, 2012 at Fight Nights - Battle of Desne. He won via KO in the first round.

Bellator MMA

In June 2012, Minakov was signed in Bellator.[5]

He made his debut the following fall at Bellator 79 on November 2, 2012. He defeated a Moldavian National Champion & Judo Black Belt [6] Vladimir Starcencov via TKO in the second round to win his Bellator and North American debut.

Minakov faced Ron Sparks on June 19, 2013 in the Bellator Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal.[7] He won in the first round by technical knockout.

Minakov faced Ryan Martinez at Bellator 97 in the finals on July 31, 2013. He got the TKO victory via punches in the third round, after he took Martinez down and secured full mount.

Minakov faced and defeated Alexander Volkov on November 15, 2013 at Bellator 108 to win the Bellator Heavyweight Championship.

Minakov faced Bellator Season 9 Heavyweight Tournament winner Cheick Kongo at Bellator 115 on April 4.[8] He won via unanimous decision to retain the Bellator Heavyweight Championship.

Championships and accomplishments

Martial Arts

Sambo

Judo

Freestyle Wrestling

Mixed martial arts record

Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Win 17–0 Josh Copeland Submission (kimura) Fight Nights - Moscow December 11, 2015 2 2:50 Moscow, Russia
Win 16–0 Geronimo dos Santos Submission (armbar) Fight Nights - Dagestan September 25, 2015 1 3:14 Kaspiysk, Dagestan, Russia
Win 15–0 Adam Maciejewski TKO (punches) Fight Nights - Sochi July 31, 2015 1 0:20 Sochi, Russia
Win 14–0 Cheick Kongo Decision (unanimous) Bellator 115 April 4, 2014 5 5:00 Reno, Nevada, United States Defended the Bellator Heavyweight Championship
Win 13–0 Alexander Volkov TKO (punches) Bellator 108 November 15, 2013 1 2:57 Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States Won the Bellator Heavyweight Championship
Win 12–0 Ryan Martinez TKO (punches) Bellator 97 July 31, 2013 3 4:02 Rio Rancho, New Mexico, United States Bellator 2013 Summer Series Heavyweight Tournament Final
Win 11–0 Ron Sparks TKO (punches) Bellator 96 June 19, 2013 1 0:32 Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States Bellator 2013 Summer Series Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal
Win 10–0 Vladimir Starcencov TKO (punches) Bellator 79 November 2, 2012 2 0:27 Rama, Ontario, Canada Bellator debut
Win 9–0 Fabiano Scherner KO (punches) Fight Nights - Battle of Desne September 17, 2012 1 3:51 Bryansk, Bryansk Oblast, Russia
Win 8–0 Eddie Sanchez KO (punch) Fight Nights - Battle of Moscow 7 June 7, 2012 1 1:59 Moscow, Moscow Oblast, Russia
Win 7–0 Karol Celinski TKO (corner stoppage) FFC 2 - Russia vs. Latvia April 14, 2012 1 0:55 Riga, Vidzeme, Latvia
Win 6–0 Ivan Frolov Submission (neck-crank) IMMAT - International MMA Tournament June 29, 2011 1 0:45 Bryansk, Bryansk Oblast, Russia
Win 5–0 Juan Espino KO (punch) Sambo 70 vs. Spain April 21, 2011 1 0:09 Moscow, Moscow Oblast, Russia
Win 4–0 Valery Scherbakov Submission (armbar) M-1 Challenge 22: Narkun vs. Vasilevsky December 10, 2010 1 1:05 Moscow, Moscow Oblast, Russia
Win 3–0 Vitalii Yalovenko Decision (unanimous) M-1 Selection 2010: Eastern Europe Finals July 22, 2010 3 5:00 Moscow, Moscow Oblast, Russia
Win 2–0 Alexander Zubachov Submission (rear-naked choke) Sambo-70 / M-1 Global: Sochi Open European Championships July 14, 2010 1 0:27 Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia
Win 1–0 Ruslan Kabdulin Submission (armbar) M-1 Selection 2010: Eastern Europe Round 2 April 10, 2010 1 4:19 Kiev, Kiev Oblast, Ukraine

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Fighter Bio - Vitaly Minakov - Bellator MMA". bellator.com. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Vitaly Minakov". sherdog.com. Retrieved October 1, 2011.
  3. 1 2 http://www.judoinside.com/judoka/view/32973/vitaly_minakov/
  4. ↑ "Vitaly Minakov also great Judoka: RUS JR National Champion & he defeated Teddy Riner". www.global-mma.com. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  5. ↑ "Minakov Signing in Bellator". mmafightcorner.com. June 14, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Vladimir Starcencov, Judoka, JudoInside". Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  7. ↑ "Judo Master at Bellator 96". tapology.com. May 19, 2013.
  8. ↑ Staff (2014-01-17). "Vitaly Minakov vs. Cheick Kongo title fight slated for Bellator 115". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
  9. ↑ "Виталий Минаков". Retrieved 12 July 2015.

External links

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