Vasilevski: Moving Up the Light Heavyweight Ladder as a European Prospect
Sep 23, 2010
(PRESS RELEASE) -- At 22 years of age, Vyacheslav "Slava"
Vasilevski is quietly making a name for himself as a top contender
in the light heavyweight division with M-1 Global thanks to his
impressive 9-1 record.
Vasilevski was born and grew up in the quaint Siberian city known as Zelenogorsk, Krasnoyarski Krai. With the city's sport complex located close to his home, almost all of his friends had undertaken some form of combat training; peer pressure got the best of this young lad and he ventured down the road to try his hands in martial arts.
‘Slava’ has trained judo since he was 9 and started "without any
particular goals" says the touted fighter. But after a relatively
short time frame, Vasilevski became the judo champion of
Krasnoyarski Krai, earned three medals at the national youth judo
championships and then became the judo champion of Siberia in the
adult-class competitions. By the time he turned 19, he transitioned
his training to boxing and combat sambo.
In February 2008, Vasilevski entered his first national combat sambo championship; his very first opponent was Sergey Khramov, one of the most decorated athletes in the history of combat sambo. Vasilevski won this bout and progressed deeper into the tournament brackets surprising fans, judges and himself. His victory over Khramov secured him an invitation to the European championships where his dream run came to a halt in the finals.
It was at the European Championships where ‘Slava’ met his current trainer, Alexei Tchugreev, who saw potential in his athleticism and offered up a bout in MMA at an event in the Czech Republic. Accepting the challenge, Vasilevski had just 10 days to prepare for his debut and won it by submission; his career in MMA has progressed since with his Sambo 70 training partners such as Marat Aliaskhabov, who has spent time training with the Russian national freestyle wrestling team, and Evgeni Kaynov, who trained with the national boxing team.
Fighting out of Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Vasilevski would be considered a small light heavyweight, standing at 5’ 9” and weighing in at his bout against Shamil Tinagadjiev at only 198lbs. But following in the footsteps of his favourite fighter and role model, Fedor Emelianenko, he believes he can compete in the face of much larger opponents; so far this proving to be true.
Vasilevski takes his experience in the M-1 ring and will ride an eight fight win streak into the M-1 Challenge Light Heavyweight Championship bout later this year against either European Selection champion and standout, Thomasz Narkun, or Americas Selection Champion phenom, Byron Byrd – both undefeated and yet to see a second frame.
Vasilevski was born and grew up in the quaint Siberian city known as Zelenogorsk, Krasnoyarski Krai. With the city's sport complex located close to his home, almost all of his friends had undertaken some form of combat training; peer pressure got the best of this young lad and he ventured down the road to try his hands in martial arts.
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In February 2008, Vasilevski entered his first national combat sambo championship; his very first opponent was Sergey Khramov, one of the most decorated athletes in the history of combat sambo. Vasilevski won this bout and progressed deeper into the tournament brackets surprising fans, judges and himself. His victory over Khramov secured him an invitation to the European championships where his dream run came to a halt in the finals.
It was at the European Championships where ‘Slava’ met his current trainer, Alexei Tchugreev, who saw potential in his athleticism and offered up a bout in MMA at an event in the Czech Republic. Accepting the challenge, Vasilevski had just 10 days to prepare for his debut and won it by submission; his career in MMA has progressed since with his Sambo 70 training partners such as Marat Aliaskhabov, who has spent time training with the Russian national freestyle wrestling team, and Evgeni Kaynov, who trained with the national boxing team.
Fighting out of Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Vasilevski would be considered a small light heavyweight, standing at 5’ 9” and weighing in at his bout against Shamil Tinagadjiev at only 198lbs. But following in the footsteps of his favourite fighter and role model, Fedor Emelianenko, he believes he can compete in the face of much larger opponents; so far this proving to be true.
Vasilevski takes his experience in the M-1 ring and will ride an eight fight win streak into the M-1 Challenge Light Heavyweight Championship bout later this year against either European Selection champion and standout, Thomasz Narkun, or Americas Selection Champion phenom, Byron Byrd – both undefeated and yet to see a second frame.
