Vitaly Minakov
| Vitaly Minakov Виталий Минаков | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
Vitaly Viktorovich Minakov 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 | 7 |
| By decision | 2 |
| Losses | 0 |
| Other information | |
| Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Competitor for  Russia
| ||
| Men's Sambo | ||
| World Championships | ||
.svg.png){kind=icon} | 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 |
.svg.png){kind=icon} | 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
- Bellator MMA
- Bellator Heavyweight Championship (One time, current)
- One Successful Title Defense
- Bellator 2013 Summer Series Heavyweight Tournament Championship
- Global-MMA
- Global-MMA Fighter of the Year 2013
Sambo
- Federation International Amateur de Sambo (FIAS)
- Sambo World Champion (4 time)
- Russian National Champion (4 time)
- Russian Presidential Cup Sambo Champion (3 time - 2008, 2009, 2010)[9]
Judo
- Russian Judo Federation
- Russian Junior National Champion (1 time)[3]
Freestyle Wrestling
- Russian Freestyle Wrestling Federation
- Russian Junior National Champion (1 time)
Mixed martial arts record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 17 matches | 17 wins | 0 losses |
| By knockout | 9 | 0 |
| By submission | 6 | 0 |
| By decision | 2 | 0 |
| 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
- ↑ "Fighter Bio - Vitaly Minakov - Bellator MMA". bellator.com. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
- ↑ "Vitaly Minakov". sherdog.com. Retrieved October 1, 2011.
- 1 2 http://www.judoinside.com/judoka/view/32973/vitaly_minakov/
- ↑ "Vitaly Minakov also great Judoka: RUS JR National Champion & he defeated Teddy Riner". www.global-mma.com. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
- ↑ "Minakov Signing in Bellator". mmafightcorner.com. June 14, 2012.
- ↑ "Vladimir Starcencov, Judoka, JudoInside". Retrieved 12 July 2015.
- ↑ "Judo Master at Bellator 96". tapology.com. May 19, 2013.
- ↑ Staff (2014-01-17). "Vitaly Minakov vs. Cheick Kongo title fight slated for Bellator 115". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
- ↑ "Виталий Минаков". Retrieved 12 July 2015.