Zyvonzek Vjesalicu
Encyclopedia
Zyvonzek Radzhek Vjesalicu, better known as Zee Vjesalicu, is a Ukrainian
-American
mixed martial artist who has been one of the pioneers in this style of female combat sport
.
, Ukraine
, Zee Vjesalicu began her martial arts training in 1985 with judo, after which she also took up boxing. She moved to the United States in 1989 on an exchange program, facilitated by her considerable skill at ice hockey. She then transferred to Canada; enduring a stressful immigration process. Vjesalicu entered Bloor Collegiate Institute
in 1992, later switching to St. Lawrence University
. Hockey was a sport she had been involved with from a young age, and would eventually play for teams such as the Oakland Seals. One of her coaches, Brian Dymond, described Vjesalicu as "an outstanding athlete, a real team player and unselfish when it comes to the puck"..
. A year later, she had her first competitive match in MMA. She comments; "I had always done well in street fights before. That is not something I am proud of but when I was younger I used to scrap a lot. I have to say that I would much rather fight in a venue than on the street...I like to test my physical side plus sport is sport. I have no hatred for anyone I face in the ring or cage. It is sport where two people compete to see who is best."
Her last fight was an October 9, 1999 win by armbar against Kelly McDaniel at World Extreme Fighting
7. Vjesalicu continues to play hockey, and has stated in interviews that hockey remains her first love.
|Win
|6-0
|Kelly McDaniels
|Submission (Armbar)
|WEF 7 - Stomp in the Swamp
|10/9/1999
|1
|1:36
|
|
|-
|Win
|5-0
|Angel Amoroso
|Submission (Kneebar)
|ES - Extreme Shootout
|06/25/1999
|1
|N/A
|
|
|-
|Win
|4-0
|Angel Amoroso
|Submission (Kneebar)
|ES - Extreme Shootout
|05/28/1999
|1
|1:15
|
|
|-
|Win
|3-0
|Angel Amoroso
|Submission (Armbar)
|IFC - Fighters Revenge
|04/2/1999
|1
|3:13
|
|
|-
|Win
|2-0
|Linda Smith)
|Submission (Armbar)
|CC 4 - Chicago Challenge 4
|05/30/1998
|N/A
|N/A
|
|
|-
|NC
|1-0
|Angela Clark
|No Contest
|IFC 5 - Battle in the Bayou
|09/5/1997
|N/A
|N/A
|
|
|-
|Win
|1-0
|Brandy Smith
|Submission (Side Choke)
|IFC 5 - Battle in the Bayou
|09/5/1997
|1
|9:11
|
|
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mixed martial artist who has been one of the pioneers in this style of female combat sport
Combat sport
A Combat sport, also known as a Fighting sport, is a competitive contact sport where two combatants fight against each other using certain rules of engagement , typically with the aim of simulating parts of real hand to hand combat...
.
Early life and martial arts training
A native of PoltavaPoltava
Poltava is a city in located on the Vorskla River in central Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Poltava Oblast , as well as the surrounding Poltava Raion of the oblast. Poltava's estimated population is 298,652 ....
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, Zee Vjesalicu began her martial arts training in 1985 with judo, after which she also took up boxing. She moved to the United States in 1989 on an exchange program, facilitated by her considerable skill at ice hockey. She then transferred to Canada; enduring a stressful immigration process. Vjesalicu entered Bloor Collegiate Institute
Bloor Collegiate Institute
Bloor Collegiate Institute is a public secondary school located at the intersection of Bloor Street and Dufferin Street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The school is located in the Dufferin Grove neighbourhood.-History:...
in 1992, later switching to St. Lawrence University
St. Lawrence University
St. Lawrence University is a four-year liberal arts college located in the village of Canton in Saint Lawrence County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2300 undergraduate and 100 graduate students, about equally split between male and female....
. Hockey was a sport she had been involved with from a young age, and would eventually play for teams such as the Oakland Seals. One of her coaches, Brian Dymond, described Vjesalicu as "an outstanding athlete, a real team player and unselfish when it comes to the puck"..
Powerlifting
Vjesalicu also had a brief career as a powerlifter after one of her roommates introduced her to the sport. Though she only competed for a year, she won all the contests she entered - at a bodyweight of 165 lbs, she was capable of bench pressing 335 lbs. Vjesalicu was dubbed "The Pitbull", due to her short but powerful build, a nickname she has retained in MMA. She stopped lifting competitively due to the amount of drugs she saw others use on the national and international level: "I just did not want that to be in my life".Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts
In 1996, she discovered Brazilian jiu-jitsuBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art, combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting...
. A year later, she had her first competitive match in MMA. She comments; "I had always done well in street fights before. That is not something I am proud of but when I was younger I used to scrap a lot. I have to say that I would much rather fight in a venue than on the street...I like to test my physical side plus sport is sport. I have no hatred for anyone I face in the ring or cage. It is sport where two people compete to see who is best."
Her last fight was an October 9, 1999 win by armbar against Kelly McDaniel at World Extreme Fighting
World Extreme Fighting
World Extreme Fighting is the second longest continuously running mixed martial arts promoter in the world. It has hosted many top-ranked fighters in the 46 events produced since it began in 1997. WEF was originally founded by Jamie Levine, himself an MMA fighter with a 4-0 record, who once held...
7. Vjesalicu continues to play hockey, and has stated in interviews that hockey remains her first love.
Career
- 2 time IFC Light Heavyweight Champion
- 2 time Chicago ChallengeChicago ChallengeThe Chicago Challenge was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1991 to 1994. It was played in the Chicago, Illinois are: at the Oak Brook Golf Club in Oak Brook in 1991 and at the White Eagle Golf Club in Naperville from 1992 to 1994...
Light Heavyweight Champion - Extreme Shootout Light Heavyweight Champion
- World Extreme Fighting Light Heavyweight Champion
- Canadian Open Jiu-Jitsu Champion 1998
- Canadian PankrationPankrationPankration was a martial art introduced into the Greek Olympic Games in 648 BC and founded as a blend of boxing and wrestling but without any rules. The term comes from the Greek , literally meaning "all powers" from "all" + "strength, power". Spartans were taught to use this ancient...
Champion 1999 - SacramentoSacramentoSacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
Capital City Grapplers Superfight Champion 1999 - NAGA Heavyweight Grappling Champion 2000
- Grapplers Quest Superfight Champion 2000
Mixed martial arts record
|-|Win
|6-0
|Kelly McDaniels
|Submission (Armbar)
|WEF 7 - Stomp in the Swamp
|10/9/1999
|1
|1:36
|
|
|-
|Win
|5-0
|Angel Amoroso
|Submission (Kneebar)
|ES - Extreme Shootout
|06/25/1999
|1
|N/A
|
|
|-
|Win
|4-0
|Angel Amoroso
|Submission (Kneebar)
|ES - Extreme Shootout
|05/28/1999
|1
|1:15
|
|
|-
|Win
|3-0
|Angel Amoroso
|Submission (Armbar)
|IFC - Fighters Revenge
|04/2/1999
|1
|3:13
|
|
|-
|Win
|2-0
|Linda Smith)
|Submission (Armbar)
|CC 4 - Chicago Challenge 4
|05/30/1998
|N/A
|N/A
|
|
|-
|NC
|1-0
|Angela Clark
|No Contest
|IFC 5 - Battle in the Bayou
|09/5/1997
|N/A
|N/A
|
|
|-
|Win
|1-0
|Brandy Smith
|Submission (Side Choke)
|IFC 5 - Battle in the Bayou
|09/5/1997
|1
|9:11
|
|