Red Devil Sport Club
Encyclopedia
The Red Devil Sport Club is a mixed martial arts
academy in St. Petersburg, Russia
, founded by Vadim Finkelstein.
The team’s main fighter base is made up of Russian
and Armenian Sambo
fighters who have adapted their style to mixed martial arts
, and they regularly compete in full contact combat sambo tournaments. Initially, Red Devil fighters were primarily stars of Finkelstien's MMA promotion M-1 Global
such as Ibragim Magomedov
, Roman Zentsov
, Amar Suloev
, and Arman Gambaryan
. Throughout the history of M-1 global, Red Devil has competed in team events, and have proven consistently to be among Russia's best MMA teams.
Since 2005 the team’s most notable fighters are the brothers Fedor
and Aleksander Emelianenko
. The Emelianenko brothers left Russian Top Team due to claims of management abuse, and since that time the primary trainers for Red Devil have been the Emelianenkos' childhood coaches Vladimir Voronov, and Aleksander Michkov. The membership and popularity of the team has increased since Fedor and Aleksander joined as well, primarily drawing from the ranks of Russia's Combat Sambo competitors. Former champions such as Mikhail Zayats
, Victor Nemkov, Aleksander Garkushenko, among others have been drawn to the club since the success of the Emelianenkos.
Because of Fedor’s previous association with the Russian Top Team, the two MMA associations maintained a cohabitant rivalry, until Russian Top Team was largely dissolved following the death of former manager Vladimir Pogonin, as well as the retirement of the team's former featured coach and fighter Volk Han
.
In 2009 Aleksander Emelianenko officially left the Red Devil for unexplained reasons, however he currently continues to train with his brothers Fedor, and Ivan, along with longtime coach Vladimir Voronin, Aleksander Michkov, and family friend Kirill Sidelnikov
in Stary Oskol, Russia.
The team competed in the 2008 M-1 Challenge
championship (M-1 Challenge # 1) and won it. In 2009 it performed much worse failing to win its group in the M-1 Challenge 2009, where it appeared under the name Imperial Team. This is thought to be largely due to the frequency in which Red Devil enters some of its most inexperienced members into the M-1 challenge events. The team also chose the name 'Imperial Team' as its current feature fighter Fedor Emelianenko
has reservations over the name 'Red Devil', and due to spiritual reasons prefers the name Imperial Team.
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...
academy in St. Petersburg, 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...
, founded by Vadim Finkelstein.
The team’s main fighter base is made up of Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
and Armenian 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...
fighters who have adapted their style to mixed martial arts
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...
, and they regularly compete in full contact combat sambo tournaments. Initially, Red Devil fighters were primarily stars of Finkelstien's MMA promotion M-1 Global
M-1 Global
M-1 Global is the mixed martial arts promotion based in Russia - The Netherlands which organizes between 40 and 50 competitions per year...
such as Ibragim Magomedov
Ibragim Magomedov
Ibragim Magomedov is a Russian mixed martial artist, whose height is and weight is 112.7 kg .Born in Makhachkala, Dagestan on June 8, 1972, Magomedov made his MMA debut in 2000 at Samurai 2000 Tournament where he defeated the Japanese fighter Ryushi Yanagisawa.After being discovered by Satoru...
, Roman Zentsov
Roman Zentsov
Roman Zentsov is a Russian heavyweight mixed martial arts fighter who has competed in the PRIDE Fighting Championships, a major MMA organization based in Japan, and BodogFIGHT...
, Amar Suloev
Amar Suloev
Amar Suloev is a Russian-Yazidi-Armenian mixed martial artist with a record of 24–7–0. He is a kickboxer/wrestler who has last fought Jacek Buczko at M-1 Challenge, where he won by a TKO...
, and Arman Gambaryan
Arman Gambaryan
Arman Gambaryan is an Armenian mixed martial artist who competes primarily in the light heavyweight division.-Career:Fighting out of St. Petersburg, Russia, he is a member of the Red Devil MMA organization. He has fought with the M-1 global organization for most of his career, and has trained with...
. Throughout the history of M-1 global, Red Devil has competed in team events, and have proven consistently to be among Russia's best MMA teams.
Since 2005 the team’s most notable fighters are the brothers Fedor
Fedor Emelianenko
Fedor Vladimirovich Emelianenko) is a Russian heavyweight mixed martial artist. He has won numerous tournaments and accolades in multiple sports, most notably the Pride 2004 Grand Prix and the World Combat Sambo championship on four occasions, as well as medaling in the Russian national Judo...
and Aleksander Emelianenko
Aleksander Emelianenko
Alexander Vladimirovich Emelianenko , more commonly known as Alexander Emelianenko or Aleksander Emelianenko, is a Russian mixed martial artist. He is a three-times Russian national Sambo champion and three-time world Sambo champion in the absolute division...
. The Emelianenko brothers left Russian Top Team due to claims of management abuse, and since that time the primary trainers for Red Devil have been the Emelianenkos' childhood coaches Vladimir Voronov, and Aleksander Michkov. The membership and popularity of the team has increased since Fedor and Aleksander joined as well, primarily drawing from the ranks of Russia's Combat Sambo competitors. Former champions such as Mikhail Zayats
Mikhail Zayats
Mikhail Zayats is a Russian mixed martial artist who competes in the Light heavyweigh division. A professional MMA competitor since 2006, Zayats mostly competed in his native Russia, where he is an M-1 Global veteran....
, Victor Nemkov, Aleksander Garkushenko, among others have been drawn to the club since the success of the Emelianenkos.
Because of Fedor’s previous association with the Russian Top Team, the two MMA associations maintained a cohabitant rivalry, until Russian Top Team was largely dissolved following the death of former manager Vladimir Pogonin, as well as the retirement of the team's former featured coach and fighter Volk Han
Volk Han
Magomedkhan Amanulayevich Gamzatkhanov , better known by his alias Volk Han , is a Russian shoot wrestler and later a mixed martial artist renowned for his technical mastery of Sambo and submission victories in shoot wrestling and MMA. He was representing Russia in the Russian RINGS team with Fedor...
.
In 2009 Aleksander Emelianenko officially left the Red Devil for unexplained reasons, however he currently continues to train with his brothers Fedor, and Ivan, along with longtime coach Vladimir Voronin, Aleksander Michkov, and family friend Kirill Sidelnikov
Kirill Sidelnikov
Kirill Sidelnikov is a Russian mixed martial artist, fighting out of Stary Oskol, the same hometown as Fedor Emelianenko with whom he is a training partner. He fights for M-1 Mixfight.-Career:...
in Stary Oskol, Russia.
The team competed in the 2008 M-1 Challenge
M-1 Global
M-1 Global is the mixed martial arts promotion based in Russia - The Netherlands which organizes between 40 and 50 competitions per year...
championship (M-1 Challenge # 1) and won it. In 2009 it performed much worse failing to win its group in the M-1 Challenge 2009, where it appeared under the name Imperial Team. This is thought to be largely due to the frequency in which Red Devil enters some of its most inexperienced members into the M-1 challenge events. The team also chose the name 'Imperial Team' as its current feature fighter Fedor Emelianenko
Fedor Emelianenko
Fedor Vladimirovich Emelianenko) is a Russian heavyweight mixed martial artist. He has won numerous tournaments and accolades in multiple sports, most notably the Pride 2004 Grand Prix and the World Combat Sambo championship on four occasions, as well as medaling in the Russian national Judo...
has reservations over the name 'Red Devil', and due to spiritual reasons prefers the name Imperial Team.
Associated fighters
- Fedor EmelianenkoFedor EmelianenkoFedor Vladimirovich Emelianenko) is a Russian heavyweight mixed martial artist. He has won numerous tournaments and accolades in multiple sports, most notably the Pride 2004 Grand Prix and the World Combat Sambo championship on four occasions, as well as medaling in the Russian national Judo...
- Gegard MousasiGegard MousasiGegard Mousasi, born Geghard Movsesian is an Armenian-Dutch mixed martial artist and kickboxer. He is fighting out of Team Jurojin in Leiden, Netherlands and is a member of Russian Red Devil Sport Club and Netherlands' Golden Glory...
- Alexey OleinikAlexey OleinikAlexey Oleinik is a Ukrainian-Russian mixed martial artist who is a M-1 Global veteran and has fought for Bellator Fighting Championships, Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki, BodogFight and YAMMA Pit Fighting.-Mixed martial arts career:...
- Andrei SemenovAndrei SemenovAndrei Vladimirovich Semenov is a Russian mixed martial artist and Sambo practitioner. He has also made forays into acting.Semenov has fought within the UFC middleweight division, in M-1 events and Pride Bushido, with an overall MMA record of 30 wins, 9 losses and 2 draws...
- Amar SuloevAmar SuloevAmar Suloev is a Russian-Yazidi-Armenian mixed martial artist with a record of 24–7–0. He is a kickboxer/wrestler who has last fought Jacek Buczko at M-1 Challenge, where he won by a TKO...
- Arman GambaryanArman GambaryanArman Gambaryan is an Armenian mixed martial artist who competes primarily in the light heavyweight division.-Career:Fighting out of St. Petersburg, Russia, he is a member of the Red Devil MMA organization. He has fought with the M-1 global organization for most of his career, and has trained with...
- Alexander VolkovAlexander Volkov (fighter)Alexander Yevgenievich Volkov is a Russian mixed martial artist who competes in the heavyweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2009, Volkov has competed almost exclusively for the M-1 Global promotion.-Background:...
- Baga AgaevBaga AgaevBaga Agaev is a Russian mixed martial artist and is a M-1 Global veteran. Agaev holds a notable win over former UFC contender Kristof Midoux and former UFC heavyweight champion Kevin Randleman. Baga recently signed with Art of War Fighting Championship and lost in his debut to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu...
- Victor Nemkov
- Kirill SidelnikovKirill SidelnikovKirill Sidelnikov is a Russian mixed martial artist, fighting out of Stary Oskol, the same hometown as Fedor Emelianenko with whom he is a training partner. He fights for M-1 Mixfight.-Career:...
- Maxim GrishinMaxim GrishinMaxim Grishin is a Russian mixed martial artist who competes in the heavyweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2008, Grishin has fought all over the world, though mostly in Central and Eastern Europe. He defeated Alexander Volkov for the 2010 M-1 Global Eastern Europe Heavyweight...
- Radmir GabdullinRadmir GabdullinRadmir Gabdullin is a Russian mixed martial artist. He is a member of Russian mixed martial arts team Red Devil. One of the more promising young fighters to compete in the M - 1 selections events in 2009,He also participated in combat sambo world championship which took place in Czech Republic in...
- Mikhail ZayatsMikhail ZayatsMikhail Zayats is a Russian mixed martial artist who competes in the Light heavyweigh division. A professional MMA competitor since 2006, Zayats mostly competed in his native Russia, where he is an M-1 Global veteran....
- Radik IboyanRadik IboyanRadik Iboyan is a Russian mixed martial artist who competes in the Welterweight division.-Championships and Accomplishments:Sambo*Combat Sambo**Champion of the Volga Federal District Sambo**Medalist Russia in Sambo...
- Sergey GolyaevSergey GolyaevSergey Golyaev is an Russian mixed martial artist.-Background:Sergey Golyaev has a Muay Thai and Karate background. He started to be engaged in karate at 14 years old and his Muay Thai experience dates back 9 years....
- Silviu VulcSilviu VulcSilviu Dorin Vulc more commonly known as Silviu Vulc is a Romanian heavyweight mixed martial artist. Silviu Vulc spent his early career boxing in Romania, he then moved to Russia to train with Red Devil Sport Club team mates with Fedor Emelianenko and Alexander Emelianenko. Vulc spent two years...
- Bek Isakov
- Alexey Nevzorov
- Alex Romanov
- Alexey Nazarov
- Alexey Cherepovsky
- Andrey Lisitsyn
- Andrey Safyanenko
- Dmitri Samoliov
- Mikhail Malyutin
- E.Omar
- Tamerlan Urtaev
- Erik Oganov
- Dzhamal Kubanov
- Musail Allaundinov
- Anton Arkhipin
- Sergei Betsky
- Nikolai Onikienko
- Uriy Pulaev
- Amir Shankhalov
- Ivan Emelianenko
- Alex Romanov