Lyubomir Simeonov, The Hammer or The Rower (Bulgarian

Bulgarian language

Bulgarian is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group.Bulgarian, along with the closely related Macedonian language, demonstrates several linguistic characteristics that set it apart from all other Slavic languages such as the elimination of case declension, the...

: Любомир Симеонов) is a Bulgarian mixed martial artist

Mixed martial arts

Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...

. Lyubo became popular due to his extraordinary power and huge street fighting experience. The former rower and powerlifter started to practice MMA in March 2010.

Mixed martial arts career

The Hammer made his professional MMA debut on 17 Dec 2010 in Bulgaria

Bulgaria

Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...

 during MAXFIGHT XVIII. He defeated via TKO the Canadian Gary Goodridge

Gary Goodridge

Gary Goodridge , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian-Canadian former super heavyweight kickboxer and heavyweight mixed martial artist fighting out of Barrie, Ontario. Goodridge is known for his hard-hitting fighting style and showmanship...

 in the first round.

Before the bout, Lyubo said that regardless the outcome of the bout, he would continue to practice MMA. For the support he had received, The Hammer expressed his gratitude to the # 1 for 1991 Bulgarian boxing coach and the former senior coach of the Bulgarian national boxing team, Mihail Takov.

Lyubo was prepared and trained by the double world champion in Grappling

Grappling

Grappling refers to techniques, maneuvers, and counters applied to an opponent in order to gain a physical advantage, such as improving relative position, escaping, submitting, or injury to the opponent. Grappling is a general term that covers techniques used in many disciplines, styles and martial...

 and BJJ, Jon Olav Einemo

Jon Olav Einemo

|-| Loss|align=center| 6–2| Dave Herman| TKO | UFC 131| |align=center| 2|align=center| 3:19|Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada| Won Fight of the Night honors|-| Win|align=center| 6–1| James Thompson| Submission...

.

After the end of the bout, the greatest ever Bulgarian soccer player Hristo Stoichkov

Hristo Stoichkov

Hristo Stoichkov Stoichkov , sometimes Stoitchkov; born 8 February 1966 in Plovdiv) is a retired Bulgarian footballer. He is regarded as one of the best footballers of his generation and the greatest Bulgarian footballer of all time. Nicknamed The Dagger , The Dog , The Modern Left...

, known as the Dagger, presented the prize to Lyubomir Simeonov.

Later, Simeonov faced the American Jimmy Ambriz

Jimmy Ambriz

Jimmy "The Titan" Ambriz is an American mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Super Heavyweight division. He is a former King of the Cage Super Heavyweight Champion. His nickname "The Titan" is for his enormous size and raw power...

 at the MAXFIGHT-21 event, in May 27, 2011. For the fight, The Hammer prepared himself in Golden Glory

Golden Glory

Golden Glory is a Muay Thai, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts camp, as well as a management team based in the Netherlands. With their primary fighter roster based out of Europe, Golden Glory has managed fighters from all over the world, such as American former team member, Heath Herring.Golden...

 training camp, Holland.

From the very beginning of the first round, Lyubo attacked aggressively with punches. As a result, Ambriz fell on the ground and was forced to tap at 0:46.

After the fight, Lyubo was given the prize by the best Bulgarian heavyweight boxer Kubrat Pulev

Kubrat Pulev

Kubrat Venkov Pulev is a Bulgarian professional heavyweight boxer best known to medal repeatedly at international tournaments as an amateur, winning the gold medal in the super heavyweight division at the 2008 European Championships.-Heavyweight with 201lbs/ 91kg limit:At the 2001 world...

 - The Cobra. According to the media, most probably, Lyubo would continue his training in Golden Glory

Golden Glory

Golden Glory is a Muay Thai, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts camp, as well as a management team based in the Netherlands. With their primary fighter roster based out of Europe, Golden Glory has managed fighters from all over the world, such as American former team member, Heath Herring.Golden...

 camp.

Mixed martial arts record

|-
| Win
|align=center| 2–0
|   Jimmy Ambriz

Jimmy Ambriz

Jimmy "The Titan" Ambriz is an American mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Super Heavyweight division. He is a former King of the Cage Super Heavyweight Champion. His nickname "The Titan" is for his enormous size and raw power...

| submission (punches)
| MAXFIGHT XXI
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:33
|Sofia, Bulgaria
|
|-
| Win
|align=center|1-0
|  Gary Goodridge

Gary Goodridge

Gary Goodridge , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian-Canadian former super heavyweight kickboxer and heavyweight mixed martial artist fighting out of Barrie, Ontario. Goodridge is known for his hard-hitting fighting style and showmanship...

|TKO (punches)
|MAXFIGHT XVIII - Sofia Grand Prix
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|3:01
|Sofia, Bulgaria
|

External links

• http://www.mmabg.com/index.php?action=news-read&id=1987