Biography
Vitaly Viktorovich Minakov - Russian Sambist, four-time world champion in sports sambo, honored master of sports on sambo, judo and freestyle wrestling. In 2011, he participated in the television project of the first channel "Special Task". From 2014 he served as the deputy of the Bryansk Regional Duma, then he was elected Deputy Chairman of the Regional Parliament.Childhood and youth
Vitaly Minakov was born on February 6, 1985 in Bryansk. About the sports career The future world champion dreamed from childhood, which is not surprising: his father was a supporter of a healthy lifestyle and even spoke in a volleyball urban team. The head of the family became a real example for two sons. Vitaly's younger brother, Dmitry - Silver winner of the World Cup in Sambo.
In childhood, Minakov was a bacheaker's long-standing. In an interview, the athlete remembers how one day, being a third grader, suddenly realized that he had to do it. Then he went to search for "his" sport. This took time: in the school years, Vitaly managed to work out in almost all sections in Bryansk.
Up to 11 years old, the boy was engaged in free wrestling. And then the father took him to Valery Safronov, Honored Coach of Russia for Sambo. He initially treated the newcomer skeptical - it was painfully weak, he seemed to the background of other students. Today Minakov - an athlete with a growing 188 cm and weighing 113 kg.
But in those distant school years, Vitaly had to be thoroughly worn before it was allowed to fight and competitions. Training was not in vain: the young man understood that this is the same, "his" sport. Already at the age of 13, he became the winner of the international tournament "Friendship of Slavic peoples", in which athletes from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine participated.
At 23, Minakov first became the winner of the Sambo World Championship.
Sport
Higher education Vitaly received in the Bryansk branch of the National State University of Physical Culture, Sports and Health. P. F. Lesgafta - the young man graduated from him in 2011. The debut at the professional level took place a year earlier: in 2010. Minakov first performed at MMA (from the English. Mixed Martial Arms - mixed martial arts) at the M-1 SELECTION tournament. The battle with Ruslan Bandullin was completed at the 5th minute of the 1st round in favor of the Bryanskoyan Bogatyr.By the end of 2012, the account of Minakova was already nine unconditional victories. He signed a contract with the American sports organization Bellator, participated in the Grand Prix tournament and, having won three victories, struggled with Russian Alexander Volkovov for the champion belt. Having received the BELLATOR champion title in heavyweight and defending the belt in battle against Ceego Congo, Vitaly returned to Russia for a while. Here he performed in the organization of Fight Nights.
In 2015, Vitaly again went to the ring after a long break and already on the 20th second battle sent to the technical knockout of his opponent Adam Macievsky. For the Polish Sambist, this defeat was the first since 2009. 2015 brought a Russian athlete two more victories - over the Brazilian Zheronim Dus Santus and American Josh Koopland.
The contract with Bellator allowed Minakov to perform with other promotions, however, in 2016, the President of the Organization Scott Cocker decided to deprive the Russian Championship of the Championship title due to long inactivity.
In 2017, the world champion fought with an American De Jemy Linderman and Brazilian Antonio Silva. At the same time, Linderman barely spoiled the impeccable track record of the Russian Sambist. The first two rounds forced the fans of Vitaly to wander, but in the final of the third they were rejoiced: the champion sent a powerful strikes to the Nauwood.
In December 2017, Vitaly met in the ring with Tony Johnson. Even before the beginning of the fight, the American admitted that he believes "Bryansk heroes" the most dangerous of rivals. As a result, in the second round, Minakov inflicted the enemy technical knockout.
As for Minakov's fees, they correspond to the level of his skill. Camil Hajiyev (head of the Fight Nights Global - the largest promotional company in Russia, which is engaged in organizing mixed martial art tournaments), said that for one match, the four-time world champion gets $ 100 thousand.
Vitaly became a fourfold world champion, but he has another sports dream - the Olympic medal. Unfortunately, Sambo is not among the Olympic Sports, so for some time "Bryansky Bogatyr" seriously thought to go to competitions like a judoist. It was not yet possible to implement this idea, but perhaps still ahead.
Personal life
At the "Personal Front" at Vitaly, the business is favorable. With his wife, Sambist met in 2003 during a shift in the Bryansk Sports Camp - Natalia came to visit friends. Acquaintance took place, but then young people did not see each other. A new random meeting has become a fateful.
The world champion more than once recognized that he had long dreamed of a big family. And this desire seems to come true: Now Vitaly is a happy father of three children. By the way, when the eldest son, the novel appeared on the world, Sambist told reporters that it was this event (and not a different victory in the ring) considers the main thing in his life.
Following the son of Vitaly and Natalia, the daughter of Polina was born. Another addition to the family occurred in August 2017 - the younger heir received the name Dmitry. The world champion is often divided by photographs of their kids in "Instagram". And in the implementation of his dreams plans to go even further: five children - his "program-maximum".
Vitaly Minakov now
The sports career Vitaly is not finished. In August 2018, he extended a contract with the BELLATOR organization on improved conditions. In the official group of the Sambist in Vkontakte, it is reported that by the end of the year he intends to hold one "warming up" battle.
Sporting Internet publications are already betting on whether the four-time champion has to fight: among the alleged rivals - Mirko Crocop, Roy Nelson, Mohammed Laval. In the case of Victory, Minakov will have to meet with the winner of the Grand Prix of heavyweights for the title of champion.
Awards
- 2007 - Russia champion among students in weight up to 100 kg
- 2008 - Russia champion in weight over 100 kg
- 2009 - Gold medalist of the absolute championship of Russia in sambo
- 2010 - silver medalist of the absolute championship of Russia in sambo
- 2011 - Gold medalist of the absolute championship of Russia in sambo
- Quadruple world champion (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011) in weight over 100 kg
- Honored Master of Sports of Russia
- BELLATOR champion in hard weight (1 protection)