Oleg Taktarov - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Oleg Nikolaevich Taktarov is a retired Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

n mixed martial artist and actor. He is a practitioner of Sambo

Sambo (martial art)

Sambo is a Russian martial art and combat sport. The word "SAMBO" is an acronym for SAMooborona Bez Oruzhiya, which literally translates as "self-defense without weapons". Sambo is relatively modern since its development began in the early 1920s by the Soviet Red Army to improve their hand to hand...

and Judo

Judo

is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...

and has competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship

Ultimate Fighting Championship

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...

and Pride Fighting Championships. Taktarov was the UFC 6

UFC 6

UFC 6: Clash of the Titans was the sixth mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 14, 1995, at the Casper Events Center in Casper, Wyoming. The event was seen live on pay per view in the United States, and later released on home video.-History:UFC 6 featured the...

tournament champion and holds notable wins over Marco Ruas

Marco Ruas

Marco Antônio de Lima Ruas is a retired mixed martial arts fighter and instructor. Most notably, he was the UFC 7 Tournament Champion and is considered one of the earliest examples of the complete mixed martial artist, highly skilled in both striking and grappling.-Biography:Ruas is famous for...

and David "Tank" Abbott

David L. Abbott

David Lee Abbott is an American mixed martial arts fighter and former professional wrestler. He has described his fighting style, which he developed brawling in the bars and streets of Huntington Beach, California, as "street fighting"...

. Taktarov is known for being exceptionally calm during fights and for using a variety of rarely seen, acrobatic Sambo

Sambo (martial art)

take-downs. All of Taktarov's losses were by knockout or decision, Taktarov was never submitted in an MMA fight.

Early life

Taktarov was born in the closed city

Closed city

A closed city or closed town is a settlement with travel and residency restrictions in the Soviet Union and some of its successor countries. In modern Russia, such places are officially known as "closed administrative-territorial formations" ....

Arzamas-16 (today known as Sarov

Sarov

Sarov is a closed town in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia. Until 1995 it was known as Kremlyov ., while from 1946 to 1991 it was called Arzamas-16 . The town is off limits to foreigners as it is the Russian center for nuclear research. Population: -History:The history of the town can be divided...

), USSR, before his family moved to Gorky

Nizhny Novgorod

Nizhny Novgorod , colloquially shortened to Nizhny, is, with the population of 1,250,615, the fifth largest city in Russia, ranking after Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, and Yekaterinburg...

, an industrial centre of Russia. Oleg’s father, a construction worker, wanted his son to become involved in sport, and so took him to a gymnasium at the nearby city of Sarov, with the intention of enrolling Oleg in ice hockey or weightlifting. But the twelve-year-old Taktarov had other ideas after observing athletes practising judo

Judo

. At first it appeared his father would have his way because the Sarov judo division had a policy of not accepting people from outside their city, but the instructor was impressed by the bright and well-mannered Oleg, and took him under his wing. "I liked judo and stuck with it. Then I found that there were similarities between judo and sambo (Russian unarmed self-defence system), and as Sarov was the only sambo gymnasium specializing in leg locks, I decided to compete in both styles," says Taktarov.

Surprisingly, the intelligent and soft-spoken Oleg intended becoming a scientist. He hadn’t planned to make a career of grappling. But in the former Soviet Union it was mandatory for all male youths to serve a minimum of two years in the military. Prior to entering the army

Soviet Army

The Soviet Army is the name given to the main part of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union between 1946 and 1992. Previously, it had been known as the Red Army. Informally, Армия referred to all the MOD armed forces, except, in some cases, the Soviet Navy.This article covers the Soviet Ground...

, Taktarov competed against two men - one, his training partner - for a place in the military’s sporting division. During the last bout, his adversary applied an ankle lock to Oleg. "He had a good lock on my ankle, and I heard the ligaments pop, but I couldn’t submit because the competition was too important to me. There were two other guys in my weight category and only one position in the army’s sport division, so I had to win. I threw him and he fell on his head and couldn’t continue," says Taktarov. Oleg went on to serve his time as a self-defence instructor, which included training an elite sector of the KGB in unarmed combat and counter-intelligence for three years. During this period Oleg suffered severe stomach pains and reported to his superior officer. The officer ignored Oleg’s plea for medical attention and ordered him back on duty. "He was the kind of guy who shouldn’t have been there," understates a cool Taktarov. The young soldier decided to go AWOL

Desertion

In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...

and travelled to a nearby hospital where a doctor successfully removed Oleg’s appendix, informing his patient that he would have died if he’d waited another fifteen minutes.

After completing his national service, Oleg travelled with another martial artist to the republic of Latvia for a no-rules tournament. "My friend and I were at a car yard and he was going to buy a car. The Latvian special police didn’t like us because we were speaking Russian, and decided to throw us in gaol. But some of the organizers were looking for us, and luckily they found us, so we were released fifteen minutes before the competition started, which meant we had no time to warm up." Fortunately this did not stop Taktarov from becoming the tournament champion. Four times Oleg won the European and Asian jiu-jitsu Championships, and twice won the World Sambo Championships.

"At the age of twenty-six I was undefeated and had won everything I could at the time. So I travelled to the United States with the intention of becoming an actor, but I found that it wasn’t easy to get started in the movies, so I decided to fight because I had to think about an income and improving my English." Oleg also commenced working in theatres to improve his acting skills.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

On November 12, 1993, the first Ultimate Fighting Championship

Ultimate Fighting Championship

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...

(UFC) were held in Denver, Colorado, where fighters from all martial arts codes were invited to compete for a purse of US$50,000, in a no-holds-barred elimination tournament billed as being, "not for the faint-hearted". The show-down was held inside the eight-sided ring, known as The Octagon, that measures 32 feet across, and is surrounded by a five-foot-high chain fence.

In April, 1995, Oleg entered UFC 5 in Charlotte, North Carolina, billed as "The Russian Bear". "It (the title) sounds alright to me now, but before.....I was called this by the manager I had then, who was from Texas. He thought that Texas was the capital of the world," laughs Oleg. "He didn’t know any other places existed. He just knew that Russia had bears and vodka, and he couldn’t call me ‘The Russian Vodka’." When Oleg entered UFC 5 he was regarded by the organizers as "The X-Factor". His friend and Lion’s Den fighter, Guy Mezger, had spoken highly of Taktarov, but the Siberian-born Russian was an unknown quantity. Before the tournament, competitors were interviewed pulling macho faces and growling, whilst boasting how they were going to win the event and destroy their opponents. By contrast, Oleg coolly said he was from Gorky, Russia, and smiled an infectious smile at the cameras. Held in Charlotte, North Carolina, the competition claimed to have eight contenders representing eight different martial arts, but as Royce Gracie had previously stated, many of the UFC competitors were now abandoning their own arts to copy his grappling techniques. The fact that a fighter was listed as representing the art of Tae Kwon Do did not mean he would be using TKD striking techniques against his opponent.

In UFC 5, the program had Oleg Taktarov listed as representing the Russian discipline of Sambo. "At first I was kind of disappointed because in Russia they would have regarded me as a jiu-jitsu exponent because it was a new art I was practising back there, whereas many people were already doing judo and sambo in Russia. Here in America, people categorized me as a sambo artist because it was unique and unusual, and that’s what they liked. But I don’t mind now," says Taktarov.

Between UFC 5

UFC 5

UFC 5: The Return of the Beast was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on April 7, 1995, at the Independence Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina. The event was seen live on pay per view in the United States, and later released on home video.-History:UFC 5 used an...

and UFC 6

UFC 6

(where he won the tournament, beating David "Tank" Abbott

David L. Abbott

in the finals), Taktarov lived and trained with Ken Shamrock

Ken Shamrock

Kenneth Wayne Shamrock is an American mixed martial arts fighter, UFC Hall of Famer and professional wrestler...

's Lion's Den

Lion's Den (mixed martial arts)

The Lion's Den is a mixed martial arts team and training facility that was based out of Susanville, California and San Diego, California but has recently moved its headquarters to Reno, Nevada. The team was founded in the early 1990s by UFC Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock, and was the most dominant...

fighting team. Taktarov started his American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

training with Gene LeBell

Gene LeBell

Ivan Gene LeBell is a former American Judo champion, instructor, stunt performer, stunt coordinator, and professional wrestler born in Los Angeles, California. LeBell has worked on over 1,000 films and TV shows, and has authored a number of books.In 2000, he was promoted to 9th Dan in US Ju-Jitsu...

, Jovany Varela and Gokor Chivichyan

Gokor Chivichyan

Gokor Chivichyan is an Armenian Judo, submission grappling, and mixed martial arts instructor. Gokor currently trains professional and amateur fighters at the Hayastan MMA Academy in North Hollywood. Chivichyan was born in Yerevan, Armenia....

.

Despite badly injuring his knee in training shortly before the event, Takatarov entered the UFC 5

UFC 5

tournament, winning his first fight but losing in the semi-finals to eventual champion Dan Severn

Dan Severn

Daniel DeWayne Severn is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, notable for his success in the early years of Ultimate Fighting Championship tournaments. Severn has fought and wrestled for many mixed martial arts and professional wrestling promotions, including King of the...

by stoppage due to a cut. The fight was stopped by the referee because of profuse bleeding above Taktarov's eye due to a cut caused by knees from Severn while Oleg was seeking an armbar from the guard. Taktarov disputes this loss to this day, saying that he could have continued to fight and that he does not consider this cut stoppage to be an actual loss.

After losing at UFC 5

UFC 5

, Taktarov went to live and train with his friend Ken Shamrock

Ken Shamrock

Kenneth Wayne Shamrock is an American mixed martial arts fighter, UFC Hall of Famer and professional wrestler...

's Lion's Den

Lion's Den (mixed martial arts)

training camp. Taktarov talked about his experience in an interview: "For a month Ken and I fought together. The guys who later became good fighters, like Frank Shamrock

Frank Shamrock

Frank Shamrock is a retired mixed martial arts fighter. Shamrock was the first to hold the UFC Middleweight Championship and retired as the four-time defending undefeated champion...

or Guy Mezger

Guy Mezger

Guy Mezger is a retired American martial artist who competed in professional combat sports ranging from full contact karate, kickboxing, and boxing, but is most recognized as a mixed martial arts fighter . He is associated with Lion's Den Dallas...

, were not any competition for me at the time. The only guy I trained with was Ken, and we had battles behind closed doors. Nobody was allowed to watch them."

Taktarov returned at UFC 6

UFC 6

where, in the semifinal bout, Anthony Macias

Anthony Macias

Anthony "Mad Dog" Macias is an American mixed martial artist who currently competes in the middleweight division. Anthony was introduced to the world of MMA in a fight against the legend Dan Severn at UFC 4. Anthony would go on to lose to Severn by submission. His most recent victory came against...

was brought in to replace Patrick Smith

Patrick Smith (fighter)

Patrick Smith is a retired American kickboxer, boxer and mixed martial artist. He started his mixed martial arts career by participating in the first two Ultimate Fighting Championship events....

due to injury. The fight ended in 12 seconds with Taktarov submitting Macias via front choke

Chokehold

A chokehold or choke is a general term for grappling hold that critically reduces or prevents either air or blood from passing through the neck of an opponent. The restriction may be of one or both and depends on the hold used and the reaction of the victim...

becoming the fastest submission in UFC history. Taktarov went on to defeat a much larger David "Tank" Abbott

David L. Abbott

by rear naked choke

Rear naked choke

The Rear naked choke is a chokehold in martial arts applied from an opponent's back. Depending on the context, the term may refer to one of two variations of the technique, either arm can be used to apply the choke in both cases...

after 17 grueling minutes to win the UFC 6

UFC 6

tournament. Taktarov displayed incredible heart and willpower during the fight and had to be taken to the hospital afterwards due to the high altitude of Casper, Wyoming

Casper, Wyoming

Casper is the county seat of Natrona County, Wyoming, United States.. Casper is the second-largest city in Wyoming , according to the 2010 census, with a population of 55,316...

.

Well respected by Bob & Ken Shamrock, Taktarov, being the reigning tournament champion, was set up to fight his friend and reigning UFC Champion Ken Shamrock

Ken Shamrock

Kenneth Wayne Shamrock is an American mixed martial arts fighter, UFC Hall of Famer and professional wrestler...

in UFC 7 for the UFC Superfight Championship. Taktarov again displayed an incredible amount of heart in this fight, taking a lot of punishment but refusing to quit. The fight had a 30 minute time limit and went into three minutes of overtime, finishing as a draw at 33 minutes.

Taktarov then entered the UFC's Ultimate Ultimate 1995

Ultimate Ultimate 1995

-External links:***...

tournament. Oleg advanced to the finals of the tournament, defeating UFC 5

UFC 5

finalist Dave Beneteau

Dave Beneteau

Dave "Dangerous" Beneteau is a retired Canadian mixed martial artist who is best known for his appearances in the Ultimate Fighting Championship....

and highly regarded UFC 7

UFC 7

-External links:***...

champion Marco Ruas

Marco Ruas

in the process. Taktarov met Dan Severn

Dan Severn

in the finals in a rematch of their fight at UFC 5. After 30 minutes the judges awarded Dan Severn a decision victory based on points scored during the bout.

On November 21, 2003, at UFC 45

UFC 45

UFC 45: Revolution was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on 21 November 2003, at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut...

, the UFC conducted a poll amongst the fans to determine the most popular fighters in the history of the UFC. The fans voted Oleg as one of the top 10 most popular fighters in the history of the UFC.

Post-UFC

Taktarov fought in the first ever Pride 1

PRIDE 1

Pride 1 was the first mixed martial arts event held by KRS-Pride . It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on October 11, 1997 and attracted a crowd of 47,860 spectators....

show on Oct 11, 1997 facing Canadian heavyweight and UFC veteran 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...

. Unfortunately for Oleg, he suffered a frightening knockout loss. After being knocked unconscious, the hulking 'Big Daddy' landed a scary right hook on the prone Taktarov. Oleg had to be carried out on a stretcher. He later fully recovered. In one of his recent interviews he attributed Goodridge's victory to the peak of the anabolic steroid cycle that Goodridge allegedly went through prior to the fight. Taktarov further asserted that Goodridge's following performances (i.e. a string of losses) clearly indicated the downtrend of the steroid cycle.

Perhaps the most famous non-UFC fight of his MMA career is when he faced Renzo Gracie

Renzo Gracie

Renzo Gracie is a Gracie Barra Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Carlos Gracie Jr. and a former mixed martial arts competitor in the Ultimate Fighting Championship . He is member of the Gracie family of Brazil. He is the son of Robson Gracie, grandson of Carlos Gracie, nephew of Carlos...

in the MARS Reality Fighting event. The anticipated ground battle never took off and he lost by KO by an up kick as he was looking for a leg submission.

Oleg faced his rival Marco Ruas

Marco Ruas

once again in Brazil in a super fight at the World Vale Tudo Championships. It was agreed that there would be no judges for this bout, and when time ran out, it was ruled a draw.

Oleg faced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert Sean Alvarez in Pentagon Combat an event held in Brazil. Wearing boxing trunks, he displayed boxing skills by knocking out his opponent.

In Russia, for a specialized event Oleg faced Dolph Lundgren

Dolph Lundgren

Dolph Lundgren is a Swedish actor, director, and martial artist. He belongs to a generation of film actors who epitomise the movie action hero stereotype including Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme.A graduate in chemical...

in a celebrity boxing match and won via split decision.

Return to mixed martial arts

Prior to making a successful comeback to the sport in 2007, Taktarov's last bout was in 2001.
Taktarov announced in an online radio interview in November 2007 his plans to return to MMA with BodogFight

BodogFight

bodogFight was a mixed martial arts promotion founded by online gambling magnate Calvin Ayre. It was a part of Ayre's bodog.com Entertainment Group....

. He won his debut match against John Marsh

John Marsh (fighter)

John Michael Marsh is a retired American mixed martial artist.-Mixed martial arts:Marsh turned to mixed martial arts in 1993 at age 23. He has made appearances in top organizations such as Pride, Ultimate Fighting Championship, and the International Fight League...

at 33 seconds into the 2nd round of the match by submission (kneebar). He then fought UFC 14

UFC 14

-External links:***...

and UFC 15

UFC 15

UFC 15: Collision Course was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 17, 1997, in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The event was seen live on pay per view in the United States, and later released on home video.-History:...

heavyweight champion Mark Kerr, again winning by kneebar.

Taktarov is now retired from mixed martial arts.

Acting career

After temporarily retiring from mixed martial arts, Taktarov focused on his acting career, and starred in the movies 15 Minutes
15 Minutes
15 Minutes is a 2001 film starring Robert De Niro , Edward Burns and Karel Roden. It is about a homicide detective and a fire marshal who must stop a couple of Eastern European murderers from videotaping their killing and becoming sensationalized by the media. Melina Kanakaredes and Kelsey Grammer,...

, Bad Boys II
Bad Boys II
Bad Boys II is a 2003 action/comedy film directed by Michael Bay, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and starring Martin Lawrence and Will Smith. It is a sequel to the 1995 film Bad Boys. The film is about two police detectives investigating the flow of ecstasy into Miami...

, 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out
44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out
44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out is a 2003 American film directed by Yves Simoneau. The film premiered on the FX Network in June 2003.-Plot:...

, Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...

, and the 2002 version of Rollerball

Rollerball (2002 film)

Rollerball is a 2002 remake of the 1975 science-fiction film of the same name. This updated version stars Chris Klein, LL Cool J, Rebecca Romijn and Jean Reno, was directed by John McTiernan and has a much greater concentration on action with more muted social and political overtones...

. He also appeared in the first episode of season 3

Alias episodes (Season 3)

The third season of the American drama/adventure television series Alias premiered September 28, 2003 on ABC and concluded May 23, 2004 and was released on DVD in region 1 on September 7, 2004. Guest stars in season three include Vivica A...

of Alias
Alias (TV series)
Alias is an American action television series created by J. J. Abrams which was broadcast on ABC for five seasons, from September 30, 2001 to May 22, 2006...

entitled The Two and in the NCIS
NCIS (TV series)
NCIS, formerly known as NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is an American police procedural drama television series revolving around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S...

season 5 finale Judgement Day. He has also appeared in a few Russian productions, and was cast in a few releases from 2007, such as We Own the Night
We Own the Night
We Own the Night is a 2007 American crime drama film written and directed by James Gray and starring Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes and Robert Duvall. It is the third film directed by Gray, and the second film to feature Phoenix and Wahlberg together, the first being The Yards...

. Taktarov also released several instructional Sambo videos and has made an instructional video with Vladimir Vasiliev entitled Russian Mega Fighting. More recently, Taktarov fought an exhibition boxing match on Russian Celebrity Boxing against fellow actor and martial artist Dolph Lundgren

Dolph Lundgren

. Taktarov more recently starred in Robert Rodriguez

Robert Rodriguez

Robert Anthony Rodríguez is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor and musician. He shoots and produces many of his films in his native Texas and Mexico. He has directed such films as Desperado, From Dusk till Dawn, The Faculty, Spy Kids, Sin City, Planet...

's franchise reboot, Predators, directed by Nimród Antal

Nimród Antal

Nimród E. Antal is a Hungarian American film director, screenwriter and actor.-Life and career:...

Filmography

Year	Movie	Role
1997	Total Force	Boris
1997	Absolute Force	Agent Borris Checkniov
1997	JAG JAG (TV series) JAG is an American adventure/legal drama television show that was produced by Belisarius Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television and, for the first season only, NBC Productions...	Russian Officer
1997	Air Force One Air Force One (film) Air Force One is a 1997 American action-thriller film written by Andrew W. Marlowe and directed by Wolfgang Petersen. It stars Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, and Glenn Close, and also features Xander Berkeley, William H. Macy, Dean Stockwell and Paul Guilfoyle...	Prison Guard #2
1999	Counter Measures	Dmitry
2001	15 Minutes 15 Minutes 15 Minutes is a 2001 film starring Robert De Niro , Edward Burns and Karel Roden. It is about a homicide detective and a fire marshal who must stop a couple of Eastern European murderers from videotaping their killing and becoming sensationalized by the media. Melina Kanakaredes and Kelsey Grammer,...	Oleg Razgul
2001	My Friend's Love Affair	Boris
2001	The Quickie	Boris
2002	Red Serpent	Sergei
2002	Rollerball Rollerball (2002 film) Rollerball is a 2002 remake of the 1975 science-fiction film of the same name. This updated version stars Chris Klein, LL Cool J, Rebecca Romijn and Jean Reno, was directed by John McTiernan and has a much greater concentration on action with more muted social and political overtones...	Denekin
2003	Bad Boys II Bad Boys II Bad Boys II is a 2003 action/comedy film directed by Michael Bay, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and starring Martin Lawrence and Will Smith. It is a sequel to the 1995 film Bad Boys. The film is about two police detectives investigating the flow of ecstasy into Miami...	Josef Kuninskavich
2003	44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out is a 2003 American film directed by Yves Simoneau. The film premiered on the FX Network in June 2003.-Plot:...	Emil Matasareanu
2003	Alias Alias (TV series) Alias is an American action television series created by J. J. Abrams which was broadcast on ABC for five seasons, from September 30, 2001 to May 22, 2006...	Gordei Volkov
2004	Sins of the Fathers (rus. Russian language Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics... Грехи отцов)	Jerome Thompson
2004	National Treasure National Treasure (film) National Treasure is a 2004 mystery adventure heist film from the Walt Disney Studios under Walt Disney Pictures. It was written by Jim Kouf, Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Cormac Wibberley, and Marianne Wibberley, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and directed by Jon Turteltaub...	Shippen
2005	Call me Genee (rus. Russian language Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics... Зови меня Джинн)	Ufa
2005	Law of Corruption (rus. Russian language Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics... Мужской сезон. Бархатная революция)	Skala
2005	To Hunt an Elk (rus. Russian language Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics... Охота на изюбря)	Kamaz
2006	Shift (rus. Russian language Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics... Сдвиг)	Fetisov
2006	Miami Vice Miami Vice (film) Miami Vice is a 2006 American crime drama film about two Miami police detectives, Crockett and Tubbs, who go undercover to fight drug trafficking operations. The film is a loose adaptation of the 1980s TV series of the same name, written, produced, and directed by Michael Mann...	Russian Security
2007	We Own the Night We Own the Night We Own the Night is a 2007 American crime drama film written and directed by James Gray and starring Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes and Robert Duvall. It is the third film directed by Gray, and the second film to feature Phoenix and Wahlberg together, the first being The Yards...	Pavel Lubyarsky
2007	The Death and Life of Bobby Z The Death and Life of Bobby Z The Death and Life of Bobby Z, also known as Bobby Z and Let's kill Bobby Z, is a 2007 American action film, directed by John Herzfeld, and stars Paul Walker, Laurence Fishburne, Olivia Wilde and Joaquim de Almeida...	Oleg
2007	Rockaway	Ivan
2008	Montana	Nikolai
2008	NCIS NCIS (TV series) NCIS, formerly known as NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is an American police procedural drama television series revolving around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S...	Viggo Dratnyev
2008	Righteous Kill Righteous Kill Righteous Kill is a 2008 crime thriller film with elements of a buddy cop film directed by Jon Avnet, and starring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. Righteous Kill also features John Leguizamo, Carla Gugino, Donnie Wahlberg, Brian Dennehy, and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson...	Yevgeny Mugalat
2010	Predators	Nikolai
2011	Generation P Generation P (film) Generation P is the first feature-length screen adaptation of the eponymous novel by the Russian author Victor Pelevin. Work on the film began at the end of 2006, and it was released in Russian theaters on April 14, 2011.- Plot :...	Vovchik
2011	Battlefield 3 Battlefield 3 Battlefield 3 is a first-person shooter video game developed by EA Digital Illusions CE and published by Electronic Arts. The game was released in North America on October 25, 2011 and in Europe on October 28, 2011 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and EA Mobile confirmed a port for...	Dmitri "Dima" Mayakovsky

Championships and accomplishments

Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
- UFC 6 Tournament Winner
- Ultimate Ultimate 1995 Runner Up
- UFC 5 Tournament Semi-Finalist
- UFC Viewer's Choice Award
  UFC 45
  UFC 45: Revolution was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on 21 November 2003, at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut...

Mixed martial arts record

|-
| Win
|align=center| 17–5–2
| Mark Kerr
| Submission (kneebar)
| YAMMA Pit Fighting

YAMMA Pit Fighting

Yamma Pit Fighting was a mixed martial arts promotion that was created by original UFC promoter Bob Meyrowitz. The promotion's first and only event, YAMMA 1, was held on April 11, 2008 in Atlantic City, New Jersey at the Trump Taj Mahal....

Atlantic City, New Jersey

Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 16–5–2
| John Marsh

John Marsh (fighter)

Moscow

Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...

, Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 15–5–2
| Aaron Salinas
| Submission (armbar)
| Total Kombat
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 1:24
| McAllen, Texas

McAllen, Texas

McAllen is the largest city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. It is located at the southern tip of Texas in an area known as the Rio Grande Valley and is part of the . Its southern boundary is located about five miles from the U.S.–Mexico border and the Mexican city of Reynosa, the Rio...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 14–5–2
| Moti Horenstein

Moti Horenstein

Moti Horenstein is an Israeli-American martial artist.-Early Training and Fight History:Beginning his training at the age of five, Horenstein captured three Junior Champion of Israel titles before induction in the army in 1983. Serving his required service but in no special capacity in the army,...

Almaty

Almaty , also known by its former names Verny and Alma-Ata , is the former capital of Kazakhstan and the nation's largest city, with a population of 1,348,500...

, Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 13–5–2
| Mick Tierney
| Submission (kneebar)
| National Freesparring
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:58
| Almaty

Almaty

Almaty , also known by its former names Verny and Alma-Ata , is the former capital of Kazakhstan and the nation's largest city, with a population of 1,348,500...

, Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan

Gary Goodridge

| KO (punch)
| Pride 1

PRIDE 1

Pride 1 was the first mixed martial arts event held by KRS-Pride . It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on October 11, 1997 and attracted a crowd of 47,860 spectators....

Tokyo

, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

, Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 12–4–2
| Sean Alvarez
| KO (punches)
| Pentagon Combat
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:52
| Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 11–4–2
| Chuck Kim
| Submission (guillotine choke)
| World Fighting Federation
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:23
| Birmingham, Alabama

Birmingham, Alabama

Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

Renzo Gracie

Birmingham, Alabama

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

Marco Ruas

Brazil

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 10–3–1
| Joe Charles
| Submission (kneebar)
| World Vale Tudo Championship 1
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:42
| Tokyo

Tokyo

, Japan

Japan

Ryūshi Yanagisawa

Ryūshi Yanagisawa is a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and kickboxer. His real name is Atsushi Yanagisawa . As a martial artist, he competed in K-1, Pancrase Hybrid Wrestling and Fighting Network RINGS and holds victories over Oleg Taktarov, Paul Varelans, Vernon White, Jason...

Tokyo

, Japan

Japan

Dan Severn

| Decision (unanimous)
| Ultimate Ultimate 1995

Ultimate Ultimate 1995

-External links:***...

Denver, Colorado

The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 9–1–1
| Marco Ruas

Marco Ruas

| Decision (unanimous)
| Ultimate Ultimate 1995

Ultimate Ultimate 1995

-External links:***...

Denver, Colorado

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 8–1–1
| Dave Beneteau

Dave Beneteau

Dave "Dangerous" Beneteau is a retired Canadian mixed martial artist who is best known for his appearances in the Ultimate Fighting Championship....

| Submission (achilles hold)
| Ultimate Ultimate 1995

Ultimate Ultimate 1995

-External links:***...

Denver, Colorado

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

Ken Shamrock

Kenneth Wayne Shamrock is an American mixed martial arts fighter, UFC Hall of Famer and professional wrestler...

| Draw
| UFC 7

UFC 7

-External links:***...

Buffalo, New York

Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

| For UFC Superfight title
|-
| Win
|align=center| 7–1
| Tank Abbott

Tank Abbott

| Submission (rear naked choke)
| UFC 6

UFC 6

Casper, Wyoming

Casper is the county seat of Natrona County, Wyoming, United States.. Casper is the second-largest city in Wyoming , according to the 2010 census, with a population of 55,316...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

| Won UFC 6 Tournament
|-
| Win
|align=center| 6–1
| Anthony Macias

Anthony Macias

| Submission (guillotine choke)
| UFC 6

UFC 6

Casper, Wyoming

Casper is the county seat of Natrona County, Wyoming, United States.. Casper is the second-largest city in Wyoming , according to the 2010 census, with a population of 55,316...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 5–1
| Dave Beneteau

Dave Beneteau

Dave "Dangerous" Beneteau is a retired Canadian mixed martial artist who is best known for his appearances in the Ultimate Fighting Championship....

| Submission (front choke)
| UFC 6

UFC 6

Casper, Wyoming

Casper is the county seat of Natrona County, Wyoming, United States.. Casper is the second-largest city in Wyoming , according to the 2010 census, with a population of 55,316...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

Dan Severn

| TKO (cut)
| UFC 5

UFC 5

Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 4–0
| Ernie Verdicia
| Submission (choke)
| UFC 5

UFC 5

Charlotte, North Carolina

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 3–0
| Maxim Kuzin
| Submission (choke)
| White Dragon: Day Three
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 1:11
| Riga

Riga

Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...

, Latvia

Latvia

Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 2–0
| Artur Almaev
| TKO (corner stoppage)
| White Dragon: Day Two
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:25
| Riga

Riga

, Latvia

Latvia

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 1–0
| Vaskas Hilma
| Submission (choke)
| White Dragon: Day Two
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:24
| Riga

Riga

, Latvia

Latvia

External links

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