St. Petersburg has assembled a notable heavyweight team for the first time since the legendary Red Devil gym 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 at 93kg), Dmitry Baboryko (2-0, young master of sport in Greco-Roman wrestling), Denis Goltsov (36-9), and Anton Vyazigin (17-6) who regularly attends training camps. Most of these fighters compete in ACA, which means they will face tough competition and inevitable losses, but those who succeed will prove themselves as world-class fighters. Two notable upcoming matchups are Kirill Kornilov vs Tony Johnson and Daniil Matsola vs Khadis Ibragimov.
St. Petersburg has quietly assembled one of the most ambitious heavyweight rosters in Russian MMA, marking the city's most significant push in the division in roughly two decades — a development that draws inevitable comparisons to the storied Red Devil gym that produced world-class fighters in the early 2000s.
The new collective features a range of fighters at different stages of their careers. At the top sits Kirill Kornilov, carrying an 18-3 record, alongside Alexander Maslov at 12-1 and the unbeaten Daniil Matsola at 7-0. Veteran presence comes from Denis Goltsov, a seasoned heavyweight with a 36-9 record, and Anton Vyazigin (17-6), who participates regularly in the team's training camps. Anton Vinnikov (18-5), Artem Dushenko (6-3 competing at 93 kilograms), and the young prospect Dmitry Baboryko (2-0), a master of sport in Greco-Roman wrestling, round out the group.
The majority of these fighters compete under the ACA banner, one of the most competitive MMA promotions outside the UFC, meaning they will be consistently tested against serious opposition.
Why it matters
- Kornilov (18-3) is set to face Tony Johnson (11-3), a striker landing two significant strikes per minute at 53 percent accuracy, making for a meaningful test at the top of the roster.
- Matsola (7-0) takes on Khadis Ibragimov (8-4), a six-foot-three orthodox heavyweight from Sambo Piter who lands 3.55 significant strikes per minute and carries a 78-inch reach.
- The ACA competitive environment means the roster will face genuine pressure, and those who advance will have earned legitimate world-class credentials.
- St. Petersburg has not had a unified heavyweight structure of this depth since the Red Devil era, giving the project historical weight within Russian MMA.
