| Valentin Moldavsky | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Valentin Moldavsky in 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1992-02-06)6 February 1992 (age 33) Novopskov, Ukraine | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Native name | Валентин Молдавский | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Ukrainian (until 2014) Russian (since 2014) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 243 lb (110 kg; 17 st 5 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Division | Heavyweight | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reach | 75 in (191 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Style | Combat Sambo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | FedorTeam | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trainer | Fedor Emelianenko | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years active | 2014–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mixed martial arts record | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wins | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By knockout | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By submission | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By decision | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Losses | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By knockout | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By decision | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No contests | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mixed martial arts record fromSherdog | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Valentin Igorevich Moldavsky (Russian:Валенти́н И́горевич Молда́вский; born 6 February 1992) is a Russianmixed martial artist andcombat sambo practitioner. He is currently competing for thePFL. He formerly competed forBellator MMA, where he was aninterim Heavyweight World Champion. He is also a two-time world and one-time European Sambo Champion in the +100 kg division.
Moldavsky was born 6 February 1992 in the village of Novopskov in the Luhansk Oblast. He was enrolled at theLuhansk State University of Internal Affairs, working as platoon leader.[1]
In 2018, Moldavsky won the European Sambo Championships inAthens, Greece and theWorld Sambo Championships inBucharest, Romania in the +100 kg weight category.
He also won the 2020 Russian national Championship, which allowed him to qualify for the2020 World Sambo Championships in Serbia. He claimed the World Championship in the +100 kg category.[2]
After going undefeated in amateur bouts, Moldavsky had his first professional fight was with Armenian Karen Karapetyan inOmsk on 21 February 2015, beating him with anarmlock. Soon after, Moldavsky has been coached byFedor Emelianenko and joined his Team Fedor.[3]
In 2016, Moldavsky entered the Rizin Openweight Grand-Prix. In the first round in September 2016, he defeatedKarl Albrektsson by unanimous decision to advance.[4] In the quarter-finals on 29 December 2016, he defeated Szymon Bajor by unanimous decision. Two days later, he suffered his first loss to IranianAmir Aliakbari by decision.[5]
Moldavsky debuted forBellator MMA atBellator 181 on 14 July 2017, beating Carl Seumanutafa by unanimous decision.
Moldavsky returned to the promotion on 13 July 2018, knocking out Ernest James in the first round atBellator 202.[6]
Moldavsky facedLinton Vassell on March 22, 2019 atBellator 218, winning the bout by unanimous decision.[7]
Moldavsky facedJavy Ayala atBellator 239 on February 21, 2020.[8] Using takedowns and dominating Ayala on the ground, Moldavsky won the fight by unanimous decision.[9]
In his highest profile fight to date, Moldavsky facedRoy Nelson atBellator 244 on August 21, 2020. He won the fight by unanimous decision.[10]
With heavyweight championRyan Bader moving on in theBellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Tournament, Moldavsky facedTimothy Johnson for theBellator Interim Heavyweight World Championship atBellator 261 on June 25, 2021.[11] He won the bout and the title by unanimous decision.[12]
Moldavsky facedBellator Heavyweight World ChampionRyan Bader to unify the Heavyweight titles on January 29, 2022 atBellator 273.[13] He lost the bout via unanimous decision.[14] 7 out of 11 media scores gave it to Moldavsky.[15]
Moldavsky faced Steve Mowry atBellator 284 on August 12, 2022.[16] Less than a minute into the bout, Moldavsky accidentally eye poked Mowry, rendering him unable to continue, resulting in a no contest.[17]
Moldavsky rematchedLinton Vassell on March 10, 2023 atBellator 292.[18] He lost the bout in the first round, getting dropped on the feet and knocked out by elbows from mount.[19]
Moldavsky had a rematch Steve Mowry on August 11, 2023 atBellator 298.[20] He won the fight via unanimous decision.[21]
Moldavsky debuted with theProfessional Fighters League (PFL) atPFL 1 on April 4, 2024 and won his bout against Ante Delija via technical knockout with knees and punches.[22]
Moldavsky facedLinton Vassell in a rematch on June 13, 2024 atPFL 4.[23] He lost the fight via split decision.[24]
Moldavsky was scheduled to face Oleg Popov in the semifinals of the2024 Heavyweight tournament atPFL 7 on August 2, 2024, however he pulled out for unknown reasons.[25]
On March 5, 2025, the promotion officially revealed that Moldavsky will join the2025 PFL Heavyweight Tournament.[26]
In the quarterfinal, Moldavsky faced Sergey Bilostenniy on May 1, 2025, atPFL 4.[27] He won the fight by unanimous decision.[28]
In the semifinals, Moldavksy facedAlexander Romanov atPFL 7 on June 27, 2025. The bout ended in a no contest after Moldavsky accidentally hit Romanov with a groin strike and he was unable to continue.[29]
| 20 matches | 14 wins | 4 losses |
| By knockout | 2 | 1 |
| By submission | 3 | 0 |
| By decision | 9 | 3 |
| No contests | 2 | |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC | 14–4 (2) | Alexander Romanov | NC (accidental knee to groin) | PFL 7 (2025) | June 27, 2025 | 1 | 4:26 | Chicago, Illinois, United States | 2025 PFL Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal. Accidental knee to the groin rendered Romanov unable to continue. |
| Win | 14–4 (1) | Sergey Bilostenniy | Decision (unanimous) | PFL 4 (2025) | May 1, 2025 | 3 | 5:00 | Orlando, Florida, United States | 2025 PFL Heavyweight Tournament Quarterfinal. |
| Loss | 13–4 (1) | Linton Vassell | Decision (split) | PFL 4 (2024) | June 13, 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | Uncasville, Connecticut, United States | |
| Win | 13–3 (1) | Ante Delija | TKO (knees and punches) | PFL 1 (2024) | April 4, 2024 | 1 | 2:17 | San Antonio, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 12–3 (1) | Steve Mowry | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 298 | August 11, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States | |
| Loss | 11–3 (1) | Linton Vassell | KO (punches and elbows) | Bellator 292 | March 10, 2023 | 1 | 3:03 | San Jose, California, United States | |
| NC | 11–2 (1) | Steve Mowry | NC (accidental eye poke) | Bellator 284 | August 12, 2022 | 1 | 0:54 | Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States | Accidental eye poke rendered Mowry unable to continue. |
| Loss | 11–2 | Ryan Bader | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 273 | January 29, 2022 | 5 | 5:00 | Phoenix, Arizona, United States | For theBellator Heavyweight World Championship. |
| Win | 11–1 | Timothy Johnson | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 261 | June 25, 2021 | 5 | 5:00 | Uncasville, Connecticut, United States | Won the interimBellator Heavyweight World Championship. |
| Win | 10–1 | Roy Nelson | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 244 | August 21, 2020 | 3 | 5:00 | Uncasville, Connecticut, United States | |
| Win | 9–1 | Javy Ayala | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 239 | February 21, 2020 | 3 | 5:00 | Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States | |
| Win | 8–1 | Linton Vassell | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 218 | March 22, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States | |
| Win | 7–1 | Ernest James | TKO (punches) | Bellator 202 | July 13, 2018 | 2 | 4:02 | Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States | |
| Win | 6–1 | Carl Seumanutafa | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 181 | July 14, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States | |
| Loss | 5–1 | Amir Aliakbari | Decision (split) | Rizin World Grand Prix 2016: Final Round | December 31, 2016 | 2 | 5:00 | Saitama, Japan | 2016 Rizin Openweight Grand Prix Semifinal. |
| Win | 5–0 | Szymon Bajor | Decision (unanimous) | Rizin World Grand Prix 2016: 2nd Round | December 29, 2016 | 2 | 5:00 | Saitama, Japan | 2016 Rizin Openweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal. |
| Win | 4–0 | Karl Albrektsson | Decision (unanimous) | Rizin World Grand Prix 2016: 1st Round | September 25, 2016 | 2 | 5:00 | Saitama, Japan | 2016 Rizin Openweight Grand Prix First Round. |
| Win | 3–0 | Daniel Doerrer | Submission (guillotine choke) | Fight Nights Global 50 | June 17, 2016 | 1 | 0:47 | Saint Petersburg, Russia | |
| Win | 2–0 | Yuta Uchida | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Rizin World Grand Prix 2015: Part 1 - Saraba | December 29, 2015 | 1 | 2:20 | Saitama, Japan | 2015 Rizin Heavyweight Grand Prix Reserve bout. |
| Win | 1–0 | Karen Karapetyan | Submission (armbar) | Professional Combat Sambo: Eurasian Economic Union | February 21, 2015 | 1 | 1:26 | Omsk, Russia |
