Russian mixed martial artist
Akop Stepanyan (Russian : Акоп Степанян , Armenian : Հակոբ Ստեփանյան ; born May 6, 1986) is a Russian mixed martial artist of Armenian heritage[ 4] featherweight and lightweight divisions of Bellator Fighting Championships and Absolute Championship Berkut .
Mixed martial arts career
M-1 Global
Stepanyan lost via submission (armbar) to Zagalav Mahachev at M-1 Challenge - 2009 Selections 2 in the first round.[ 5]
Post-M-1 Global
Stepanyan lost via unanimous decision (30–28, 29–28, 29–28) to Djamal Kurbanov at FEFoMP - Vladivostok Pankration Open Cup 2009 on April 25, 2009.
Return to M-1 Global
Stepanyan lost via submission (rear-naked choke) to Magomed Magomedov at M-1 Challenge - 2009 Selections 5 in the first round.[ 6]
Stepanyan was released from the M-1 after going 0–2 in the promotion.
Bellator MMA
In July, Stepanyan signed in Bellator.[ 7]
Stepanyan was then entered into the season seven featherweight tournament . His quarterfinal opponent was Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Wagnney Fabiano at Bellator 76 .[ 8]
Stepanyan next faced former Sengoku Featherweight Champion Marlon Sandro in season eight featherweight tournament on February 7, 2013, at Bellator 88 .[ 9]
Stepanyan faced Chris Saunders on March 7, 2013, at Bellator 92 .[ 10]
Stepanyan was expected to face Shahbulat Shamhalaev on September 13, 2013, at Bellator 99 .[ 11] Justin Wilcox . Stepanyan dominated the first round, but was stopped by a rear naked choke submission in the second round.
Stepanyan faced Mike Richman at Bellator 106 on November 2, 2013.[ 12] [ 13]
League S-70
After Bellator dismissal Akop Stepanyan faced ex-UFC fighter Andre Winner . He won via unanimous decision.[ 14]
Absolute Championship Berkut
Stepanyan signed a four-fight deal with the ACB in February, 2017.[ 15]
Stepanyan faced Mukhamed Kokov on April 15, 2017, at ACB 57: Payback . He lost the fight via submission in the third round.
Stepanyan faced Felipe Cruz on June 17, 2017, at ACB 62 . He won the fight via knockout in the first round.
Championships and accomplishments
Russian Union of Martial Arts
Russian National Champion of Army Hand-to-Hand Combat[ 3]
Kickboxing
Kick-Boxing Federation of Russia
Russian National Champion
Silver Medalist European Championship 2004[ 3]
Taekwondo
Taekwondo Union of Russia
Russian National Champion 2002
Mixed martial arts record
Professional record breakdown
44 matches
28 wins
14 losses
By knockout
17
2
By submission
2
9
By decision
9
3
Draws
1
No contests
1
Res.
Record
Opponent
Method
Event
Date
Round
Time
Location
Notes
Win
28–14 (1)
Arlen Ribeiro
TKO (punches)
AMC Fight Nights 124
August 23, 2024
2
2:14
Yerevan , Armenia
Loss
27–14 (1)
Nikita Podkovalnikov
Submission (rear-naked choke)
Open FC 29
April 15, 2023
3
2:27
Saint Petersburg , Russia
Return to Lightweight.
Loss
27–13 (1)
Shamil Gasanov
Submission (guillotine choke)
ProFC 69
December 18, 2021
1
1:40
Rostov-on-Don , Russia
Loss
27–12 (1)
Roman Silagadze
Submission (arm-triangle choke)
AMC Fight Nights 100
April 10, 2021
2
4:44
Moscow , Russia
Return to Featherweight.
Win
27–11 (1)
Mikhail Gogitidze
TKO (punches)
AMC Fight Nights 99
December 25, 2020
2
0:59
Moscow , Russia
Win
26–11 (1)
Shahin Najafi
TKO (punches)
Gorilla Fighting 22
December 13, 2019
2
1:35
Krasnodar , Russia
NC
25–11 (1)
Elnur Agaev
Injury (doctors stoppage)
MFP 226
December 15, 2018
1
4:07
Khabarovsk , Russia
Return to Lightweight.
Loss
25–11
Magomed Sulumov
Decision (unanimous)
ACB 89: Aguev vs. Townsend
September 8, 2018
3
5:00
Krasnodar , Russia
Loss
25–10
Andrew Fisher
TKO (leg injury)
ACB 74: Aguev vs. Townsend
November 18, 2017
2
1:01
Vienna , Austria
Win
25–9
Felipe Cruz
KO (spinning wheel kick)
ACB 62: Stepanyan vs. Cruz
June 17, 2017
1
4:38
Rostov-on-Don , Russia
Loss
24–9
Mukhamed Kokov
Submission (kimura)
ACB 57: Payback
April 15, 2017
3
0:51
Moscow , Russia
Return to Featherweight.
Win
24–8
Thiago Meller
Decision (split)
League S-70: Plotforma 7th
August 21, 2016
3
5:00
Sochi , Russia
Catchweight (159 lb) bout.
Win
23–8
Will Chope
Decision (split)
Abu Dhabi Warriors 4
May 24, 2016
3
5:00
Abu Dhabi , United Arab Emirates
Loss
22–8
Vener Galiev
Submission (rear-naked choke)
Fight Nights Global 45: Galiev vs. Stepanyan
April 22, 2016
3
3:16
Ufa , Russia
Catchweight (161 lb) bout.
Win
22–7
Leonardo Laiola
TKO (punches)
Octagon Fighting Sensation 6
November 20, 2015
1
4:59
Moscow , Russia
Won the vacant OFS Lightweight Championship.
Win
21–7
Jung Sung-jo
KO (punches)
MFP: Governor's Cup of Sakhalin 2015
October 31, 2015
1
0:11
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk , Russia
Win
20–7
Andre Winner
Decision (unanimous)
S-70: Plotforma Cup 2015
August 29, 2015
3
5:00
Sochi , Russia
Win
19–7
Helson Henriques
Decision (unanimous)
FEFoMP: Mayor's Cup 2015
June 6, 2015
3
5:00
Khabarovsk , Russia
Win
18–7
Mohamed Hassan Badawy
TKO (punches)
Octagon Fighting Sensation 4
May 16, 2015
2
4:19
Yaroslavl , Russia
Catchweight (162.7 lb) bout; Badawy missed weight.
Win
17–7
Clayton Henriques
Decision (unanimous)
FEFoMP: Pankration & Fight Nights 2
April 18, 2015
3
5:00
Vladivostok , Russia
Win
16–7
Eddie Yagin
KO (head kick)
FEFoMP and Russian MMA Union: Russia's MMA Amateur Supercup
December 20, 2014
2
4:44
Khabarovsk , Russia
Win
15–7
Mikhail Kislica
TKO (punch)
Baltic Challenge 6
November 1, 2014
1
4:41
Kaliningrad , Russia
Win
14–7
Anatoli Angielovskyi
TKO (spinning back kick and punches)
Octogan Fighting Sensation 2
October 17, 2014
1
2:47
Yaroslavl , Russia
Return to Lightweight; Stepanyan missed weight (158.7 lb).
Loss
13–7
Mike Richman
TKO (punches)
Bellator 106
November 2, 2013
1
4:05
Long Beach, California , United States
Loss
13–6
Justin Wilcox
Technical Submission (rear-naked choke)
Bellator 99
September 13, 2013
2
2:20
Temecula, California , United States
Bellator Season 9 Featherweight Tournament Quarterfinal.
Win
13–5
Chris Saunders
TKO (kick to the body and punches)
Bellator 92
March 7, 2013
3
3:55
Temecula, California , United States
Lightweight bout.
Loss
12–5
Marlon Sandro
Decision (majority)
Bellator 88
February 7, 2013
3
5:00
Duluth, Georgia , United States
Bellator Season 8 Featherweight Tournament Quarterfinal.
Loss
12–4
Wagnney Fabiano
Submission (armbar)
Bellator 76
October 12, 2012
1
3:24
Windsor, Ontario , Canada
Return to Featherweight. Bellator Season 7 Featherweight Tournament Quarterfinal.
Win
12–3
Akhmet Aliev
KO (punch)
S-70: Plotforma Cup 2012
August 11, 2012
1
2:11
Sochi , Russia
Won the 2012 S-70 Lightweight Tournament.
Win
11–3
Anatoliy Pokrovsky
KO (punch)
S-70: Russian Grand Prix 2011 (Stage 4)
May 25, 2012
3
1:50
Moscow , Russia
2012 S-70 Lightweight Tournament Semifinal.
Win
10–3
Antti Virtanen
Submission (guillotine choke)
Lappeenranta Fight Night 7
April 14, 2012
1
0:53
Lappeenranta , Finland
Win
9–3
Yevgeniy Lakhin
KO (punch)
S-70: Russian Grand Prix 2011 (Stage 2)
February 18, 2012
3
3:19
Omsk , Russia
2012 S-70 Lightweight Tournament Quarterfinal.
Win
8–3
Dmitriy Ushkanov
Decision (split)
FEFoMP: Battle of Empires
December 17, 2011
2
5:00
Khabarovsk , Russia
Win
7–3
Babyrbek Samiev
Submission (guillotine choke)
Fights With Rules 3
November 25, 2011
1
2:35
Ufa , Russia
Return to Lightweight.
Win
6–3
Atchin Chaoshen Ne
Decision (unanimous)
FEFoMP: Mayor's Cup 2011
May 7, 2011
2
5:00
Khabarovsk , Russia
Featherweight debut.
Win
5–3
Aleksey Ershik
Decision (unanimous)
FEFoMP: Amur Challenge
April 16, 2011
2
5:00
Blagoveshchensk , Russia
Return to Lightweight.
Win
4–3
Mikhail Drinovski
Decision (unanimous)
Northwestern League of Combat Sambo: Tournament in Memory of Private Korzun
October 23, 2010
2
5:00
Saint Petersburg , Russia
Win
3–3
Kazbek Magomedov
TKO (punches)
Northwestern League of Combat Sambo: Tournament in Memory of Partisan German
September 11, 2010
1
3:24
Saint Petersburg , Russia
Welterweight debut.
Win
2–3
Andrei Shpota
KO (punch)
ProFC: Union Nation Cup 5
February 13, 2010
1
3:42
Nalchik , Russia
Win
1–3
Djamal Kurbanov
KO (wheel kick)
FEFoMP: Mayor's Cup in Pankration
November 21, 2009
3
1:09
Vladivostok , Russia
Loss
0–3
Magomed Magomedov
Submission (rear-naked choke)
M-1 Challenge: 2009 Selections 5
July 22, 2009
1
3:30
Saint Petersburg , Russia
Loss
0–2
Djamal Kurbanov
Decision (unanimous)
FEFoMP: Vladivostok Pankration Open Cup 2009
April 25, 2009
3
5:00
Vladivostok , Russia
Loss
0–1
Zagalav Mahachev
Submission (armbar)
M-1 Challenge: 2009 Selections 2
April 19, 2009
1
4:55
Saint Petersburg , Russia
Lightweight debut.
References
^ "СТЕПАНЯН И ХАСБУЛАЕВ ПОДПИСАНЫ В BELLATOR" . Bloodandsweat.ru . 2013-01-24. Retrieved 2016-05-12 .^ "Akop Stepanyan" . sherdog.com. Retrieved September 29, 2012 .^ a b c d "Rusfighters" . Rusfighters.ru. Archived from the original on 2012-10-31. Retrieved September 29, 2012 .^ Whitman, Mike (2012-09-13). "Bellator 76 to Feature Featherweight Quarterfinals, Including Wagnney Fabiano, Rad Martinez" . Sherdog.com . Retrieved 2016-05-12 . ^ "M-1 Selection. 2-й тур, Обзор и фотогалерея" . Mixfight.ru . Archived from the original on 2012-05-22. Retrieved 2016-05-12 .^ "Обзор пятого тура M-1 Selection Russia (ОН-ЛАЙН)" . Mixfight.ru . Archived from the original on 2016-06-03. Retrieved 2016-05-12 .^ "Akop Stepanyan signed in the BFC" . armboxing.com. Retrieved July 27, 2012 .^ "Alvarez vs. Pitbull Headlines Bellator 76 at Caesars Windsor October 12th" . bellator.com. August 4, 2012. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013.^ "Stepanyan back in Bellator" . valetudo.ru. January 29, 2013.^ "last attempt to win" . fightbetnetwork.com. March 1, 2013. Archived from the original on July 15, 2015. Retrieved March 7, 2013 .^ "Rusfighters vs. Red Fury MMA" . tapology.com. July 13, 2013.^ "Tourney finalist Mike Richman vs. Akop Stepanyan joins Bellator 106" . mmajunkie.com. October 15, 2013.^ "Bellator 106 results/photos: Mike Richman drops Akop Stepanyan in first" . mmajunkie.com. November 3, 2013.^ "Russian super star vs. world" . news.sportbox.ru. August 29, 2015.^ "Stepanyan signed with ACB" . mmaoctagon.ru. February 16, 2017.
External links
