Andrey Koreshkov took the Bellator MMA welterweight strap from Douglas Lima at Bellator 140, but the Brazilian reclaimed it more than a year later at Bellator 164. That’s why it’s only fitting that the bitter rivals kick off the promotion’s welterweight grand prix at Bellator 206 this weekend.
Expect “Spartan” to try and control the fight with his speed and offensive prowess as they share the cage at the SAP Center in San Jose, California. Here are five things you might not know about the Russian striking specialist.
1. He has been making an effort to learn English.
Like many Russian fighters, Koreshkov broke into the American market without having much English in his vocabulary. But he understands how important it is to connect with American audiences, which is why he’s been taking lessons and making great progress. His perseverance has been paying off, as Koreshkov can now express himself in English during interviews.
2. He plays World of Warcraft.
In between his MMA career and family life, Koreshkov finds time playing the massive multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft, and likes using the orc warrior character.
3. He used to be a ballroom dancer.
If it feels like Koreshkov throws strikes with the grace of a ballroom dancer, that’s because he was in fact one. Koreshkov claimed that he was forced to wear dancing shoes by his parents, and that’s when he got picked on and beat up by other kids. As a result, he switched to fighting, although he had always wanted to be a fighter even before taking up dancing.
Koreshkov is all praises for active Bellator fighter and coach, Alexander Shlemenko. The top welterweight admires Shlemenko, first and foremost, for his intelligence inside and outside of the cage. While having the mentality of a coach, Shlemenko is also a fighter at heart. The former Bellator middleweight champion has more than 50 professional bouts and countless amateur fights under his belt.
5. He received instructions from a “fan” in one of his fights.
A video of Koreshkov receiving instructions from someone other than his corner circulated on social media after his dominant performance against former Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight king Benson Henderson. That someone was Shlemenko, who at that time was serving a three-year suspension following a failed post-fight drug test and was therefore forbidden to corner in any MMA fight. So, he bought a VIP ticket to make sure he is at a close distance to his protégé come fight night.