St. Petersburg has assembled its strongest heavyweight team in 20 years, potentially since the legendary Red Devil era. 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, young Greco-Roman wrestling master), Denis Goltsov (36-9), and regular training camp participant Anton Vyazigin (17-6). Most compete in ACA, which creates inevitable losses due to the high level of competition, but successful records there indicate world-class ability. Two upcoming interesting matchups are Kirill Kornilov vs. Tony Johnson and Daniil Matsola vs. Khadis Ibragimov, with Ibragimov also having developed professionally in St. Petersburg. The author plans to watch this St. Petersburg showdown at ACA 202.
St. Petersburg's heavyweight scene is drawing serious attention ahead of ACA 202, where two matchups featuring fighters from the city's deep talent pool are set to highlight just how far the regional program has come.
The roster taking shape around the St. Petersburg training community is being described as the strongest heavyweight assembly the city has produced in roughly two decades, drawing comparisons to the celebrated Red Devil era. The current group includes Kirill Kornilov (18-3), Alexander Maslov (12-1), Anton Vinnikov (18-5), unbeaten prospect Daniil Matsola (7-0), Artem Dushenko (6-3 at 93 kilograms), young Greco-Roman wrestling specialist Dmitry Baboryko (2-0), veteran Denis Goltsov (36-9), and frequent camp participant Anton Vyazigin (17-6). The majority compete regularly in ACA, a promotion known for its demanding competition level, meaning losses on those records carry less stigma than elsewhere.
Kornilov will face Tony Johnson in one of the headlining St. Petersburg matchups at ACA 202. Johnson carries an 11-3 record and stands six-foot-one at 185 centimeters. He lands two significant strikes per minute at a 53 percent accuracy rate and averages two takedowns per 15 minutes, making him a well-rounded threat on the feet and on the mat.
In the other featured bout, Matsola meets Khadis Ibragimov, a 31-year-old Russian fighter out of Sambo Piter who stands six-foot-three at 191 centimeters with a 78-inch reach. Ibragimov holds an 8-4 record and brings genuine offensive output, landing 3.55 significant strikes per minute. Notably, Ibragimov himself developed professionally in St. Petersburg, giving this pairing an added layer of local significance.
Why it matters
- St. Petersburg's depth at heavyweight across ACA suggests the region is producing legitimate world-level talent
- Matsola enters unbeaten at 7-0, making his clash with the experienced Ibragimov a meaningful test of that status
- Ibragimov's St. Petersburg roots turn what could be a standard regional matchup into a genuine measuring-stick contest within the same development pipeline
