Mikhail Zayats: Back to Business at M-1 Challenge XXI
Oct 19, 2010
(PRESS RELEASE) -- Karachev, Russia native Mikhail Zayats has been
given the opportunity to re-establish himself as a contending light
heavyweight fighter and quite simply, he has to seize it; as part
of a stacked undercard at M-1 Challenge XXI: Guram vs. Garner,
Zayats needs to build upon his recent armbar submission victory
over Toni Valtonen, shake off the recent 1-4 run he had prior and
return to his past winning ways. Standing with an overall
professional mixed martial arts record of 11-5, his bout on October
28th will be defining moment in his career.
Fighting out of the famous Red Devil Sports Club, home to the great Fedor Emelianenko and countless other notables, Zayats was once the team’s ‘next rising star’. Making his professional MMA debut with a unanimous decision nod over Christophe Durant in October 2006, Zayats went on a tear as he demolished competition with his slick submission skills. During this rising run, one of Zayats’ standout performances came against Lucio ‘Spartan’ Linhares at M-1 Challenge 4: "Battle on the Neva 2". The pair put forth an exciting back-and-forth show with Zayats walking away with an extremely close decision.
There is no questioning Mikhail Zayats is capable of performing as a top-level fighter; he is extremely tough and brings an exciting, explosive skill set into the ring. Although recognized as more of a submission specialist, Zayats possess a hard-hitting striking arsenal which he effectively uses to drop his opponents to the canvass. Once on the mat, Zayats’ dominance is captivating as he can submit the competition at will, proving time and time again that the confidence in his abilities stems from a solid ground game.
What makes his bout on October 28th so significant is that a victory will quiet the recent critics who have questioned his last six performances while a loss will fuel speculation that this promising and talented fighter may already be a fading star. This is a bout that Zayats needs to win.
Fighting out of the famous Red Devil Sports Club, home to the great Fedor Emelianenko and countless other notables, Zayats was once the team’s ‘next rising star’. Making his professional MMA debut with a unanimous decision nod over Christophe Durant in October 2006, Zayats went on a tear as he demolished competition with his slick submission skills. During this rising run, one of Zayats’ standout performances came against Lucio ‘Spartan’ Linhares at M-1 Challenge 4: "Battle on the Neva 2". The pair put forth an exciting back-and-forth show with Zayats walking away with an extremely close decision.
There is no questioning Mikhail Zayats is capable of performing as a top-level fighter; he is extremely tough and brings an exciting, explosive skill set into the ring. Although recognized as more of a submission specialist, Zayats possess a hard-hitting striking arsenal which he effectively uses to drop his opponents to the canvass. Once on the mat, Zayats’ dominance is captivating as he can submit the competition at will, proving time and time again that the confidence in his abilities stems from a solid ground game.
What makes his bout on October 28th so significant is that a victory will quiet the recent critics who have questioned his last six performances while a loss will fuel speculation that this promising and talented fighter may already be a fading star. This is a bout that Zayats needs to win.
