Quick Facts
Biography
Vitaly Viktorovich Minakov (Russian: Виталий Викторович Минаков; born February 6, 1985, Bryansk) is a Russian sambist, judoka and undefeated mixed martial artist currently competing in the heavyweight division for Bellator MMA. He is the former Bellator MMA heavyweight champion. As of May 19, 2016, he is #13 in the world rankings by Fight Matrix.
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.
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.
He made his debut the following fall at Bellator 79 on November 2, 2012. He defeated a Moldavian National Champion & Judo Black BeltVladimir 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. 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. He won via unanimous decision to retain the Bellator Heavyweight Championship.
Minakov was stripped of his Bellator MMA title on May 14, 2016 due to inactivity.
Championships and accomplishments
Martial Arts
- Bellator MMA
- Bellator Heavyweight Championship (One time)
- 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)
Judo
- Russian Judo Federation
- Russian Junior National Champion (1 time)
- European Junior National Championship 3rd place.
Freestyle Wrestling
- Russian Freestyle Wrestling Federation
- Russian Junior National Champion.
- "Виталий Минаков". Retrieved 12 July 2015.
Mixed martial arts record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 18 matches | 18 wins | 0 losses |
| By knockout | 9 | 0 |
| By submission | 7 | 0 |
| By decision | 2 | 0 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 18–0 | Peter Graham | Submission (armbar) | EFN 50 - Emelianenko vs. Maldonado | June 17, 2016 | 1 | 1:01 | St. Petersburg, Russia | |
| Win | 17–0 | Josh Copeland | Submission (kimura) | EFN Fight Nights - Moscow | December 11, 2015 | 2 | 2:50 | Moscow, Russia | |
| Win | 16–0 | Geronimo dos Santos | Submission (armbar) | EFN Fight Nights - Dagestan | September 25, 2015 | 1 | 3:14 | Kaspiysk, Dagestan, Russia | |
| Win | 15–0 | Adam Maciejewski | TKO (punches) | EFN 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 |