A notable heavyweight team has assembled in St. Petersburg, marking the strongest lineup since the legendary Red Devil team 20 years ago. The roster includes Kirill Kornilov (18-3), Alexander Maslov (12-1), Anton Vinnikov (18-5), Daniil Matsola (7-0), Artem Dushenko (6-3), Dmitry Baboryko (2-0), Denis Goltsov (36-9), and Anton Vyazigin (17-6) who regularly attends training camps. Most of the fighters compete in ACA, creating a highly competitive environment. Two upcoming ACA 202 bouts will feature Kirill Kornilov vs Tony Johnson and Daniil Matsola vs Khadis Ibragimov, with Ibragimov also having developed professionally in St. Petersburg.
One of Russian MMA's most formidable regional training hubs has taken shape in St. Petersburg, with a heavyweight roster that observers are calling the strongest assembled in the city since the storied Red Devil team dominated the scene two decades ago.
The group brings together Kirill Kornilov (18-3), Alexander Maslov (12-1), Anton Vinnikov (18-5), Daniil Matsola (7-0), Artem Dushenko (6-3), Dmitry Baboryko (2-0), and Denis Goltsov (36-9), with veteran Anton Vyazigin (17-6) making regular appearances at training camps. The majority of the fighters compete under the ACA banner, generating a highly competitive internal environment that should benefit the group as a whole.
The squad's depth will be on display at ACA 202, where two members step into significant bouts. Kirill Kornilov faces Tony Johnson, who carries an 11-3 record and lands two significant strikes per minute at a 53 percent accuracy rate, also contributing two takedowns per 15 minutes. In the co-feature, unbeaten prospect Daniil Matsola (7-0) meets Khadis Ibragimov, a 31-year-old Russian fighter out of Sambo Piter who stands six-foot-three with a 78-inch reach and posts 3.55 significant strikes per minute. Notably, Ibragimov himself developed professionally in St. Petersburg, giving the matchup an added layer of local significance.
Why it matters
- The assembled roster represents the deepest concentration of heavyweight talent in St. Petersburg in roughly 20 years, raising the profile of Russian regional MMA development.
- ACA 202 offers an immediate test of the camp's top names, with both Kornilov and Matsola carrying strong records into their respective bouts.
- Ibragimov's St. Petersburg roots make the Matsola matchup a meaningful measuring stick between products of the same competitive environment.
- A winning showing from multiple fighters at ACA 202 could elevate the entire team's standing within the promotion.
