| Vitaly Minakov Виталий Минаков | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | Vitaly Viktorovich Minakov (1985-02-06)February 6, 1985 (age 40) Bryansk,Russian SFSR,Soviet Union | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Russian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 265 lb (120 kg; 18.9 st) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Division | Heavyweight (265 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reach | 78 in (198 cm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Style | Sambo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stance | Orthodox | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fighting out of | Bryansk, Russia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | Eagles MMA Fight Nights Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank | 1st Razryad Grand Master inSambo Black belt inJudo Master of Sports inFreestyle Wrestling | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years active | 2010–2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mixed martial arts record | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 24 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wins | 22 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By knockout | 13 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By submission | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By decision | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Losses | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By knockout | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By decision | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mixed martial arts record fromSherdog | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Vitaly Viktorovich Minakov (Russian:Виталий Викторович Минаков; born February 6, 1985) is aRussianmixed martial artist,sambist andjudoka who competed in theheavyweight division. A professional competitor from 2010 till 2021, he competed forBellator MMA, where he is the formerBellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion,M-1 Global andFight Nights Global.
Minakov made his professional MMA debut in November 2010. He is a Sambo World Champion, (2008–2011).
Minakov defeatedUFC andBellator veteranEddie Sanchez on June 7, 2012 at Fight Nights - Battle of Moscow 7. He won via KO in the first round.
Minakov defeatedBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion andUFC veteranFabiano Scherner on September 17, 2012 atFight Nights - Battle of Desne. He won via KO in the first round.
In June 2012, Minakov was signed in Bellator.[1]
He made his debut the following fall atBellator 79 on November 2, 2012. He defeated a Moldavian National Champion & Judo Black Belt[2] Vladimir Starcencov via TKO in the second round to win his Bellator and North American debut.
Minakov facedRon Sparks on June 19, 2013 in theBellator Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal.[3] He won in the first round by technical knockout.
Minakov facedRyan Martinez atBellator 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 defeatedAlexander Volkov on November 15, 2013 atBellator 108 to win theBellator Heavyweight Championship.
Minakov facedBellator Season 9 Heavyweight Tournament winnerCheick Kongo atBellator 115 on April 4, 2014.[4] He won via unanimous decision to retain the Bellator Heavyweight Championship.
Minakov was stripped of hisBellator MMA title on May 14, 2016 due to inactivity.[5]
After leaving Bellator MMA, Minakov returned to fight in his native Russia, underFight Nights Global promotion. He fought seven times since July 2015 and won all seven of his bouts by finishes.
On August 23, 2018 it was revealed that Minakov and his management team had reconciled with Bellator and reached an agreement for a new contract.[6] The new contract was for 6 bouts at $300,000 per fight, with his win bonuses applied on top of that fee.[7]
On January 16, 2019, RusFighters LLC, Minakov's agent and manager, filed a lawsuit in the Orange County Superior Court against Minakov andAli Abdelaziz, claiming Minakov breached the agreement with RusFighters when he used Abdelaziz to sign the new contract with Bellator.[7][8] On February 28, 2020, the courts agreed that RusFighters LLC is owed 20% of any gross performance compensation of any bout during the term of his 6 bout Bellator contract.[9]
In his return, Minakov facedCheick Kongo in a rematch atBellator 216 on February 16, 2019.[10] He lost the fight via unanimous decision, marking his first professional loss in MMA.[11]
Minakov was to faceJavy Ayala atBellator 225 on August 24, 2019.[12] However, on the day of the fight, it was announced that Ayala was pulled from the bout due to undisclosed medical reasons. Minakov instead facedTim Johnson.[13] Minakov won the bout via first round knockout.
Minakov was rescheduled to meet Ayala atBellator 232 on October 26, 2019.[14] However, Minakov was unable to obtain visa for the bout, leading to Ayala being pulled from the card also.[15]
Minakov was scheduled to face Tyrell Fortune on October 23, 2021 atBellator 269.[16] However in August, it was announced that Fortune pulled out for unknown reasons and was replaced by Said Sowma.[17] He lost the bout after it was stopped due to a broken finger.[18]
| 24 matches | 22 wins | 2 losses |
| By knockout | 13 | 1 |
| By submission | 7 | 0 |
| By decision | 2 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 22–2 | Said Sowma | TKO (finger injury) | Bellator 269 | October 23, 2021 | 3 | 3:08 | Moscow, Russia | |
| Win | 22–1 | Timothy Johnson | KO (punches) | Bellator 225 | August 24, 2019 | 1 | 1:45 | Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States | |
| Loss | 21–1 | Cheick Kongo | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 216 | February 16, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Uncasville, Connecticut, United States | |
| Win | 21–0 | Tony Johnson | TKO (punches) | Fight Nights Global 82: Minakov vs. Johnson | December 16, 2017 | 2 | 0:38 | Moscow, Moscow Oblast, Russia | |
| Win | 20–0 | Antônio Silva | KO (punches) | Fight Nights Global 68: Pavlovich vs. Mokhnatkin | June 2, 2017 | 2 | 1:37 | St. Petersburg,Leningrad oblast, Russia | |
| Win | 19–0 | DJ Linderman | KO (punches) | Fight Nights Global 59: Minakov vs. Linderman | February 23, 2017 | 3 | 3:09 | Khimki, Moscow Oblast, Russia | |
| Win | 18–0 | Peter Graham | Submission (armbar) | Fight Nights Global 50: Fedor vs. Maldonado | June 17, 2016 | 1 | 1:01 | St. Petersburg,Leningrad oblast, Russia | |
| Win | 17–0 | Josh Copeland | Submission (kimura) | Fight Nights: Battle of Moscow 20 | December 11, 2015 | 2 | 2:50 | Moscow, Moscow oblast, Russia | |
| Win | 16–0 | Geronimo dos Santos | Submission (armbar) | Fight Nights Global: Dagestan | September 25, 2015 | 1 | 3:14 | Kaspiysk,Dagestan, Russia | Openweight bout. |
| Win | 15–0 | Adam Maciejewski | TKO (punches) | Fight Nights Global: Sochi | July 31, 2015 | 1 | 0:20 | Sochi,Krasnodar krai, Russia | |
| Win | 14–0 | Cheick Kongo | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 115 | April 4, 2014 | 5 | 5:00 | Reno, Nevada, United States | Defended theBellator Heavyweight World Championship. Later stripped of the championship following a contract dispute. |
| Win | 13–0 | Alexander Volkov | TKO (punches) | Bellator 108 | November 15, 2013 | 1 | 2:57 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | Won theBellator Heavyweight World Championship. |
| Win | 12–0 | Ryan Martinez | TKO (punches) | Bellator 97 | July 31, 2013 | 3 | 4:02 | Rio Rancho, New Mexico, United States | |
| Win | 11–0 | Ron Sparks | KO (punches) | Bellator 96 | June 19, 2013 | 1 | 0:32 | Thackerville, Oklahoma, United States | |
| Win | 10–0 | Vladimir Starcencov | TKO (punches) | Bellator 79 | November 2, 2012 | 2 | 0:27 | Rama,Ontario, Canada | |
| Win | 9–0 | Fabiano Scherner | TKO (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) | Faxe Forward Challenge 2: Russia vs. Latvia | April 14, 2012 | 1 | 0:55 | Riga,Vidzeme, Latvia | |
| Win | 6–0 | Ivan Frolov | Submission (guillotine choke) | AntMMA: Ultimate Fighting of Bryansk | June 29, 2011 | 1 | 0:45 | Bryansk,Bryansk Oblast, Russia | |
| Win | 5–0 | Juan Espino | TKO (punches) | League S-70: Sambo 70 vs. Spain | April 21, 2011 | 1 | 0:09 | Moscow, 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 | Kyiv,Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine |
