Gegard Mousasi - Armenian MMA out of Europe

[Anonymouse]

Re: Gegard Mousasi - Armenian MMA out of Europe

I would highly recommend

https://www.mmalinker.com

It has Gegard's fights.

[nimda]

Re: Gegard Mousasi - Armenian MMA out of Europe

"I am going to Thailand soon to train with Fedor"

wow. good for Gegard.

would be interesting to see footage of Fedor training in Thailand. His style and movement is quite different from muay thai.

[freakyfreaky]

Re: Gegard Mousasi - Armenian MMA out of Europe

Rising star generally goes unnoticed in his hometown in Netherlands, but that may not last long if he fights against Viktor Belfort in January 2009 at Affliction at the Honda Center in Anaheim.

http://sherdog.com/news/news/mousasi-bumps-to-205-new-years-or-affliction-next-14802

Mousasi Bumps to 205, New Year’s or Affliction Next
Options: Email Article | Printer Friendly
Thursday, October 16, 2008
by Tim Leidecker ([email protected])


14802
Five weeks have passed since the biggest night of Gegard Mousasi’s young career, and the toasted middleweight awaits his next assignment in Japan on New Year’s Eve or a possible U.S. debut for Affliction in January, though he’s asking for a bout in the light heavyweight division.

At Dream’s middleweight grand prix finals on Sept. 23 in Tokyo, the 23-year-old kickboxer needed just 3:43 to submit Dutch nemesis Melvin Manhoef and knock out Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, considered the world’s best jiu-jitsu player at 183 pounds. That was 3:43 combined, mind you.

After a quick seminar and his attendance at the seventh edition of the M-1 Challenge in England, the Iran-born Armenian’s feat is just now soaking in for him.

“I have only just realized what I have achieved,” the adopted Dutchman told Sherdog.com. “It’s nice to get some attention now after fighting in all those different organizations. In order to stay on top I will have to continue beating a lot of good fighters, so I have to stay focused and train hard. I am still very hungry, so that shouldn’t be a problem.”

Mousasi’s semifinal bout with countryman Manhoef was a battle for appreciation and respect. Choosing to train outside of the famous Dutch kickboxing gyms, Mousasi felt a lack of love and recognition from the fans there.

“Beating Melvin really felt good, because I had openly challenged him many times and obviously I didn't want to lose face,” he said. “I really wanted to prove to the Dutch fans that I am also one of the better mixed martial arts fighters out of Holland and there’s no better way to do that than beat a guy who is as loved and admired over here as Manhoef.”

With Kang, Manhoef and Jacare out of the way, the grand prix king has nearly cleaned out the Dream middleweight division. The obvious question arises: Who is left for him to fight in Japan?

“There are plenty of good middleweight fighters in Japan, but Akiyama is the only big name left in Dream that I haven’t fought yet,” he said. “Unfortunately for me, he is dead set on fighting [Hidehiko] Yoshida on New Year’s Eve and that leaves me on the outside looking in.”

As a result, Mousasi (24-2-1) said he and his team decided to move up a division the day after Dream 6.

“There is no reason to push me to the 185-pound limit anymore,” he said. “It just isn’t healthy for me to stay at middleweight. Instead I will let my body grow and get bigger and heavier.”

The “Young Vagabond” had plans to move up to the light heavyweight division all along. After an easy first-round TKO over Brazilian slugger Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos at the now defunct Canadian promotion Hardcore Championship Fighting in February, Mousasi was originally looking to fight Santos’ compatriot Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at an HCF show in late spring or early summer. That was when Dream came calling and invited him to join the tournament.

A rumored bout with former UFC standout Vitor Belfort is still a very real option for Affliction’s Jan. 24 return to the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Belfort, who recently dropped into the middleweight ranks himself, took out Terry Martin with an impressive second-round knockout at Affliction “Banned” last July.

“My manager has good contacts with Affliction and he said that there may be the possibility for me to fight Vitor in the United States,” said Mousasi. “I really want to fight for Affliction, but I still have a commitment with Dream, so I don’t know exactly which show I will be competing at next –- on New Year’s Eve in Japan for Dream or for Affliction in January.”

While he waits, Mousasi is back working the door of a Dutch nightclub part time. This is a fate he shares with 95 percent of all European fighters. Be it bouncer, firefighter or car mechanic, even world-ranked fighters like Mousasi have to look for side gigs to afford training.

“It’s really difficult to live on MMA alone, because the sport isn’t that big in Holland and we don't have the same sponsors that American fighters do,” explained Mousasi. “We also get paid in dollars at Dream and due to the current world economic situation, the dollar is worth much less than the Euro, which, pardon my language, really sucks too.”

During his three-month hiatus from the ring, Mousasi said he’ll try to expand his training horizons.

“I am going to Thailand soon to train with Fedor [Emelianenko],” he said. “He is playing in a movie there and I will also get a small role in it. My priority is to work on my standup game though.”

And despite his rising star in Japan, Mousasi will await word of his next bout in the peace and quiet of his hometown of Leiden in South Holland, where few people recognize him on the street. For now.

[freakyfreaky]

Re: Gegard Mousasi - Armenian MMA out of Europe

wants to fight Judo specialist Akiyama, moving up to 205 weight class in MMA, may fight Viktor Belfort in upcoming card for Affliction event and also wants to become a prizefighter, seeks boxing title.

http://www.mmafighting.com/japan/2008/10/08/mousasi-talks-possible-fight-vs-akiyama

http://sherdog.com/news/news/boxing-on-hold-for-affliction-event-14725

http://mmajunkie.com/news/12995/gegard-mousasi-seeks-boxing-world-title-move-to-205-pounds.mma

http://www.fightticker.com/story_1013081035_gegard_mousasi_seeks_world_title_in_boxing_and_a_jump_to_205

[freakyfreaky]

Re: Gegard Mousasi - Armenian MMA out of Europe

Wins again. Takes record to 22-2-1. http://www.nokaut.com/?id=12&solo_ne...DREAM+4+Report

Match Five: Middleweight Grand Prix Second Round
Gegard Mousasi (21-2-1) vs. Dong Sik Yoon (4-4)

Yoon is first to be introduced to the crowd and has a catchy little ditty that I can't place as his walk-in music. He looks rather calm making his way to the ring and Kenny and Bas talk about how difficult Yoon's fights were early in his career, which explained his 0-4 record. Mousasi has a techno-violin combination before it busts into a drum solo with smoke filling the stage area and billowing out into the crowd. He calmly walks to the ring and gives some high-fives to the crowd as Kenny talks about how Mousasi has fought his twenty-four fights in seven different countries, all before the age of twenty-three.
Round One

Tentative start from both men and Mousasi throws a couple of inside leg kicks before Yoon shoots in, getting a single-leg takedown into the half-guard. Yoon works for full mount but Mousasi gets out of it and takes the back of Yoon while they're standing, landing some knees to the thigh in the corner before trying to drag Yoon to the mat. Yoon holds onto Mousasi's arm in a kimura position and Mousasi continues to land HARD knees to the thighs of Yoon. They restart in the center of the ring and Mousasi just misses a high kick before they trade combinations that miss. Yoon shoots in and Mousasi sprawls, landing a couple of hard knees, following those up with a good knee to the midsection as they fight back to their feet. Front kicks land for Mousasi and he gets a CHOPPING leg kick in on Yoon, forcing Yoon to drop down for a takedown attempt. Mousasi sprawls out of it and takes Yoon's back again before hitting a BIG uppercut as Yoon gets to his feet. High kick JUST misses from Mousasi and he lands an inside leg kick as Yoon shoots in again for a takedown attempt. Mousasi sprawls out of it and pushes Yoon away and they're back on their feet. Mousasi keeps landing the leg kicks and Yoon is already visibly limping, shooting in for a takedown but getting stuffed again. Mousasi on top in the half-guard and he lands some shots before Yoon manages to get things back to full guard. Yoon throws up a high guard and eats a couple of shots before Mousasi backs out of the guard and Yoon is brought back to his feet. Mousasi gets a HARD knee to the chin that puts Yoon down and he pounds away a little bit before ending up back in Yoon's guard on the mat. Mousasi just misses a punch and Yoon tries for a leglock but Mousasi spins away and moves to side control. Elbows to the body from Mousasi and he gets a couple of hard knees before trying for a kimura that he misses, allowing Yoon to take his back. Yoon throws some punches to the arms of Mousasi as he has the back control and Yoon is trying to isolate an arm for a possible kimura. Yoon nearly transitions it into an armbar attempt but Mousasi gets some knees from the bottom to try to break the attempt. Yoon tries to crank on the armbar and Mousasi is holding on with a minute left in the round. Mousasi continues to land the short knees off of his back and Yoon gets the armbar locked in but Mousasi ROLLS OUT OF IT!! Side control for Mousasi and he lands some hard knees to the body and the head as the bell sounds to end round one. Nokaut.com scores the round to Mousasi, but that was a VERY close armbar attempt and made things interesting at the end of the round.
Round Two

The bell rings for round two and Mousasi fakes a leg kick before throwing a high kick. Yoon gets a nice uppercut to land and shoots in for a takedown but gets stuffed and ends up giving up his back to Mousasi. Mousasi has the body triangle locked on and lands some hammerfists from the back, working at softening up Yoon for a possible choke. The referee stops the action and restarts them in the middle of the ring away from the ropes and Mousasi continues to just hammer away at the head of Yoon. Yoon tries to roll away from it but he can't get any traction and Mousasi just continues to punch away as Yoon breaks the body triangle on the mat. Mousasi gets both hooks back in and looks for the rear naked choke now before landing more strikes to the back of Yoon's head. Ninety seconds left in the fight and Yoon tries to break the triangle again but just keeps taking short punches and hammerfists. Yoon tries to get to his feet but can't and grabs onto one of Mousasi's arms hoping for something, anything to happen. Yoon rolls away from the punches but takes some more and the bell rings to end the fight. Nokaut.com scores the round and the fight for Gegard Mousasi. Fifteen minutes of total domination.

Winner: Gegard Mousasi, Unanimous Decision

http://www.sherdog.com/news/picture_popup.asp?pic_id=62145&n_id=13257

[freakyfreaky]

Re: Gegard Mousasi - Armenian MMA out of Europe

To fight in Japan again on June 15, 2008. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...tion=si_latest

"Armenian wunderkind Gegard Mousasi takes on Korean judoka Dong Sik Yoon. Mousasi comes off a surprising submission victory over Denis Kang at DREAM.2, while Yoon won a decision over Shungo Oyama at the same show."

[freakyfreaky]

Re: Gegard Mousasi - Armenian MMA out of Europe

Mousasi wins in Japan overcoming a strong early attack by his overzealous competitor whose agression on the ground caused his first round downfall when he got trapped in the triangle. http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles.asp?n_id=12522

http://www.sherdog.com/news/picture_popup.asp?pic_id=59475&n_id=12522

"Denis Kang (Pictures) looked to be in the driver's seat early against Gegard Mousasi (Pictures) in one of the card's most anticipated contests. After scoring a takedown, Kang applied a strong kimura attempt from the side, but Mousasi weathered the storm and escaped.

As Mousasi was on his back, Kang grabbed the Armenian's right leg in what appeared to be an attempt to pass his guard. On the way through, Kang threw a hammerfist strike with his right hand, which caused him to fall into a textbook triangle.

Sensing that he had an advantage, Mousasi tightened up the technique and forced Kang to tap at 3:10 of the first frame."

[Armanen]

Re: Gegard Mousasi - Armenian MMA out of Europe

Geghard is a great fighter, is he signed with M-1?

So who else is excited about this wednesday's ufc fight night 13, when 4 Armenians will be fighting?

[freakyfreaky]

Re: Gegard Mousasi - Armenian MMA out of Europe

scheduled to fight on April 29th in Saitama, Japan. http://www.sherdog.com/news/news.asp?n_id=12017

Mousasi has won his seven in a row stopping his last four opponents in the first round with strikes.

[freakyfreaky]

Re: Gegard Mousasi - Armenian MMA out of Europe

No. There is a library of other videos of some of his other fights (http://video.google.com/videosearch?...en&sitesearch=), but currently unable to find the video for his last fight.