Saint Petersburg has assembled a notable heavyweight team, potentially the strongest since the legendary Red Devil gym 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), Denis Goltsov (36-9), and Anton Vyazigin (17-6) who trains there regularly. Most of these fighters compete in ACA, where the high level of competition means losses are inevitable. Two upcoming interesting matchups feature Kirill Kornilov vs Tony Johnson and Daniil Matsola vs Khadis Ibragimov, with Ibragimov also having developed professionally in Saint Petersburg.
Saint Petersburg has emerged as a serious heavyweight hub in Russian MMA, assembling what many observers are calling the most formidable collection of big men from the city since the legendary Red Devil gym dominated the scene roughly two decades ago.
The current roster centered in Saint Petersburg reads like a who's who of active heavyweight talent. Kirill Kornilov carries an 18-3 record, Alexander Maslov stands at 12-1, and Anton Vinnikov brings experience at 18-5. Unbeaten prospect Daniil Matsola is a perfect 7-0, while Artem Dushenko competes at 93 kilograms with a 6-3 mark. Dmitry Baboryko is an unblemished 2-0, and veterans Denis Goltsov (36-9) and Anton Vyazigin (17-6) round out a group that trains at the facility regularly. Most compete in ACA, a promotion known for its competitive heavyweight division, where losses are considered an occupational reality rather than a mark against a fighter's development.
Two matchups on the horizon will test the gym's depth. Kornilov is set to face Tony Johnson, an 11-3 heavyweight who lands two significant strikes per minute at a 53 percent accuracy rate and adds two takedowns per 15 minutes. Matsola, the undefeated prospect, will meet Khadis Ibragimov, a 31-year-old Russian standing six-foot-three with a 78-inch reach and an 8-4 record. Ibragimov, who fights out of Sambo Piter, himself developed professionally in Saint Petersburg and lands 3.55 significant strikes per minute, giving him one of the sharper offensive outputs among regional heavyweights.
Why it matters
- Saint Petersburg now fields multiple ranked and competitive heavyweights simultaneously, a depth rarely seen outside Moscow-based teams in Russian MMA
- Both upcoming bouts pit gym members against fighters with Saint Petersburg connections, adding an intriguing local storyline
- Matsola's unbeaten record against the experienced Ibragimov will be a clear indicator of how deep the gym's prospect pipeline runs
