A notable heavyweight team has formed in St. Petersburg, described as potentially the strongest lineup since the legendary Red Devil team from 20 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, a young Greco-Roman wrestling master), Denis Goltsov (36-9), and Anton Vyazigin (17-6) who regularly attends training camps. Most of these fighters compete in ACA, where the high level of competition makes it difficult to maintain winning records, but those who succeed are considered world-class fighters. Upcoming fights of interest include Kornilov vs Tony Johnson and Matsola vs Khadis Ibragimov, with Ibragimov also having developed as a professional in St. Petersburg.
A formidable heavyweight training group has taken shape in St. Petersburg, with the roster drawing comparisons to the legendary Red Devil team that dominated the sport roughly two decades ago.
The lineup includes Kirill Kornilov (18-3), Alexander Maslov (12-1), Anton Vinnikov (18-5), Daniil Matsola (7-0), Artem Dushenko (6-3 at 93 kg), young Greco-Roman wrestling specialist Dmitry Baboryko (2-0), Denis Goltsov (36-9), and Anton Vyazigin (17-6), who takes part in training camps on a regular basis. The majority of these fighters compete under the ACA banner, where the quality of opposition is considered high enough that sustained winning records signal genuine world-class ability.
Two bouts on the near horizon highlight what this group can produce. Kornilov is set to face Tony Johnson, who carries an 11-3 record. Johnson stands six-foot-one and lands two significant strikes per minute at 53 percent accuracy, also contributing two takedowns per 15 minutes.
Matsola's unbeaten record will be tested against Khadis Ibragimov, an eight-and-four heavyweight who himself developed professionally in St. Petersburg before competing under the Sambo Piter banner. The 31-year-old Russian stands six-foot-three with a 78-inch reach and generates an active 3.55 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy, adding nearly one takedown per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Kornilov vs Johnson pits one of the group's top prospects against a tested opponent with a balanced striking and grappling game
- Matsola's undefeated run faces its stiffest challenge yet in the experienced Ibragimov
- The concentration of ranked ACA heavyweights in a single gym raises the overall competitive ceiling of the St. Petersburg scene
- Ibragimov's own roots in the city add an intriguing local dimension to that matchup
