A significant heavyweight team has assembled in St. Petersburg, representing the strongest lineup since the legendary Red Devil team twenty years ago. The current roster includes Kirill Kornilov (18-3), Alexander Maslov (12-1), Anton Vinnikov (18-5), Daniil Matsola (7-0), Artem Dushenko (6-3 at 93kg), Dmitry Baboryko (2-0), Denis Goltsov (36-9), and Anton Vyazigin (17-6) who trains there regularly. Most of these fighters compete in ACA, which creates tough competition and inevitable losses, but those who succeed in that organization are considered world-class fighters. Two upcoming fights highlighted are Kirill Kornilov vs Tony Johnson and Daniil Matsola vs Khadis Ibragimov, with Ibragimov also having developed professionally in St. Petersburg.
A formidable heavyweight collective has taken shape in St. Petersburg, assembling a roster that observers are calling the most impressive the city has produced in roughly two decades, drawing comparisons to the legendary Red Devil team that defined Russian MMA in its early years.
The group brings together a range of experienced ACA competitors. Kirill Kornilov carries an 18-3 record, Alexander Maslov stands at 12-1, and Anton Vinnikov has accumulated an 18-5 mark. Daniil Matsola remains unbeaten at 7-0, while Denis Goltsov, the most seasoned name on the roster, boasts a career record of 36-9. Anton Vyazigin, listed at 17-6, trains at the facility regularly without being a permanent fixture, and Dmitry Baboryko is an early-career prospect at 2-0. Artem Dushenko competes at 93 kilograms and holds a 6-3 record. ACA is widely regarded as one of the most competitive organizations outside the UFC, and success there is considered a reliable indicator of world-class ability.
Two matchups tied to the team are drawing particular attention. Kornilov is set to face Tony Johnson, who carries an 11-3 record and lands two significant strikes per minute at a 53 percent accuracy rate, also averaging two takedowns per 15 minutes. The second fight puts the undefeated Matsola against Khadis Ibragimov, a 31-year-old Russian standing six-foot-three with a 78-inch reach and an 8-4 record. Ibragimov, who trains out of Sambo Piter, is himself a product of St. Petersburg's development scene, averaging 3.55 significant strikes per minute in his career.
Why it matters
- St. Petersburg is consolidating heavyweight talent under one roof for the first time in a generation
- ACA serves as the primary competitive proving ground for most of the roster, raising the ceiling on their credibility
- Kornilov vs Johnson and Matsola vs Ibragimov offer early tests of how this group translates its depth into results
- Ibragimov's own ties to the city add an intra-scene dimension to the Matsola matchup
