Russian sambo wrestler Stepan Kobenov has told why he refused to switch to MMA after winning the world championship in Korea, where he faced a future UFC contender in the final. Merab Dvalishvili.
The Dvalishvili-Kobenov fight became the final of the World Combat Sambo Championship in the under 68 kg category. The fight took place on November 11 in the Korean city of Cheongju. The Russian athlete defeated a Georgian fighter, after which Dvalishvili continued his career in the UFC, where he had previously competed, won eight fights in a row and became a contender for the bantamweight title. Dvalishvili will challenge Sean O’Malley for his championship belt on September 14 at UFC 306 in Las Vegas. After the tournament, Stepan Kobenov continued his combat sambo performances, which he combined with his work as an engineer at a thermal power plant in Novosibirsk.
— At the end of the fight, you did a backflip to celebrate the victory, and he waved his hand in your direction. Did you see that episode?
– I didn’t see him. But he didn’t even shake my hand at the end. That’s what I really didn’t like. He just hit him lightly in the liver, but didn’t shake his hand. It’s clear that after the fight he was angry and shouting something. Or at someone. Apparently, something didn’t please him either.
— In the semifinals, you defeated Said-Yokub Kakhramonov, who at that time also had a record in MMA and later ended up in the UFC. Which of these opponents was the most difficult for you?
— Merab was probably more difficult. Because I fought with him the whole distance. With Kakhramonov, I don’t understand why the knockdown was counted. Then I got angry and broke him… won by submission.
— Did you finally get called to MMA?
— After the World Championships, even Americans wrote to me asking if I would do MMA. But no specific offer was made. It was written by a person who seemed to be either Jon Jones’ manager or someone who brought him to MMA. But there was no offer to speak anywhere. If there was a specific offer, I could agree. Then I wanted to qualify for the World Championships, but I didn’t qualify. Plus, the pandemic started… and now it’s useless.
— You are 34 years old, you have a job, what amount do you consider sufficient for an MMA fight?
— Enough, I think, from 500,000 rubles. I don’t see the point in going through such exhausting training for less money. You will spend more on preparation, ”Kobenov told .
Live broadcasts of mixed martial arts tournaments can be seen on and Match! Fighter, as well as on the websites matchtv.ru and sportbox.ru.
TV Match
More sports news in our telegram channel .
Source : MatchTV
I am Ashley Ortiz and I am a professional journalist working for Athletistic. My specialty is in sports journalism, particularly boxing. I have written articles for some of the most renowned publications on the subject, and my work has been featured across both print and digital media platforms.
