St. Petersburg has assembled its most formidable heavyweight team since the legendary Red Devil camp two decades 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, young Greco-Roman wrestling master), Denis Goltsov (36-9), and Anton Vyazigin (17-6) who regularly attends training camps. Most compete in ACA, where the high level of competition means losses are inevitable, but those who maintain strong records prove themselves as world-class fighters. Upcoming fights include Kornilov versus Tony Johnson and Matsola versus Khadis Ibragimov, with Ibragimov also having developed professionally in St. Petersburg.
St. Petersburg's heavyweight scene has quietly become one of the most concentrated pools of big-man talent in European MMA, with the city now boasting a roster that rivals its celebrated Red Devil camp of roughly two decades ago.
The current crop is anchored by Kirill Kornilov, who carries an 18-3 record, and the unbeaten Daniil Matsola at 7-0. Alexander Maslov (12-1) and Anton Vinnikov (18-5) add further depth, while Artem Dushenko competes at 93 kilograms with a 6-3 mark. Veteran Denis Goltsov (36-9) and Anton Vyazigin (17-6) remain regular presences at training camps, and Dmitry Baboryko, a young Greco-Roman wrestling specialist, is building his professional ledger at 2-0. The majority of the group competes in ACA, where the consistently high level of opposition means blemishes on a record are understood in context.
Two fights on the near horizon will offer the clearest tests yet. Kornilov is set to face Tony Johnson, an 11-3 heavyweight who lands two significant strikes per minute at 53 percent accuracy and mixes in two takedowns per 15 minutes. Matsola's 7-0 record will be measured against Khadis Ibragimov, a 31-year-old Russian orthodox-stance heavyweight standing six-foot-three with a 78-inch reach. Ibragimov, who carries an 8-4 mark competing out of Sambo Piter, lands 3.55 significant strikes per minute and is no stranger to St. Petersburg, having developed professionally in the city himself.
Why it matters
- Kornilov and Matsola face legitimate tests that could establish St. Petersburg heavyweights as a genuine international force
- Ibragimov's St. Petersburg roots make his bout with Matsola a notable crossroads contest within the same regional scene
- The roster's combined depth across records and disciplines — Greco-Roman wrestling, sambo, striking — reflects a well-rounded developmental environment
