Bellator 154's Sergei Kharitonov: Check the Resume
Bellator 154's Sergei Kharitonov: Check the Resume
Sergei Kharitonov has picked up some spectacular victories throughout his career and he hopes to add to his resume at Bellator 154
By Duane Finley
Sergei Kharitonov has competed on nearly every major platform there is to be found in mixed martial arts, and he'll add another to the list at Bellator 154.
When it comes to the Russian heavyweight's resume, Kharitonov's track record during his 16 years competing in MMA has yielded some impressive highlights. While Kharitonov has never garnered the recognition some of his peers have obtained, he's competed and defeated a number of widely recognized elite in his weight class.
The 35-year-old brawler has notched victories over former champions Andrei Arlovski and Alistair Overeem, in addition to owning a win over current UFC heavyweight title holder Fabricio Werdum when they met under the Pride banner back in 2005.
While that fight, and the others mentioned took place more than a decade ago, Kharitonov's ability to keep his name a commodity is a sign of his staying power at the top level of the sport.
"I've won some great fights but I don't really think about it like that," Kharitonov said. "I came here for a specific purpose. I want to have spectacular fights and really show what I can do. People talk about a lot of different things in this sport, but the real talking is done inside the cage.
"I don't really think about what other people say or talk about. I just want to prove to myself that I can still compete and win at a high level."
Kharitonov will get the chance he's been working toward when he steps into the cage on Saturday night to face Josh Appelt at in the co-main event at Bellator 154 in San Jose, California. While Appelt will be making his return to the Bellator stage to face the famed Russian knockout artist, Kharitonov's debut will come on the strength of a recent five-fight winning streak back in his native Russia.
Even though Kharitonov's humble nature won't allow him to acknowledge intangibles like momentum, he will accept those victories as isolated parts in a much larger plan.
"I have finished my last five opponents but none of those fights are connected," Kharitonov said. "They are individual performances that present different challenges to overcome. I wanted to get a few fights to prove I could still compete at a high level and work my way toward a bigger organization. I still wanted to prove I'm still one of the best heavyweights.
"I'm very happy to be starting a new chapter with Bellator. I'm also happy to be fighting in the United States again. I've worked with Scott Coker in the past so I'm glad we were able to work out a great deal. I'm looking forward to stepping in the cage and showing what I can do."
Sergei Kharitonov has competed on nearly every major platform there is to be found in mixed martial arts, and he'll add another to the list at Bellator 154.
When it comes to the Russian heavyweight's resume, Kharitonov's track record during his 16 years competing in MMA has yielded some impressive highlights. While Kharitonov has never garnered the recognition some of his peers have obtained, he's competed and defeated a number of widely recognized elite in his weight class.
The 35-year-old brawler has notched victories over former champions Andrei Arlovski and Alistair Overeem, in addition to owning a win over current UFC heavyweight title holder Fabricio Werdum when they met under the Pride banner back in 2005.
While that fight, and the others mentioned took place more than a decade ago, Kharitonov's ability to keep his name a commodity is a sign of his staying power at the top level of the sport.
"I've won some great fights but I don't really think about it like that," Kharitonov said. "I came here for a specific purpose. I want to have spectacular fights and really show what I can do. People talk about a lot of different things in this sport, but the real talking is done inside the cage.
"I don't really think about what other people say or talk about. I just want to prove to myself that I can still compete and win at a high level."
Kharitonov will get the chance he's been working toward when he steps into the cage on Saturday night to face Josh Appelt at in the co-main event at Bellator 154 in San Jose, California. While Appelt will be making his return to the Bellator stage to face the famed Russian knockout artist, Kharitonov's debut will come on the strength of a recent five-fight winning streak back in his native Russia.
Even though Kharitonov's humble nature won't allow him to acknowledge intangibles like momentum, he will accept those victories as isolated parts in a much larger plan.
"I have finished my last five opponents but none of those fights are connected," Kharitonov said. "They are individual performances that present different challenges to overcome. I wanted to get a few fights to prove I could still compete at a high level and work my way toward a bigger organization. I still wanted to prove I'm still one of the best heavyweights.
"I'm very happy to be starting a new chapter with Bellator. I'm also happy to be fighting in the United States again. I've worked with Scott Coker in the past so I'm glad we were able to work out a great deal. I'm looking forward to stepping in the cage and showing what I can do."