***King Mo will be in a Lot of Trouble**
http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2009/3/22/806708/lightheavyweight-prospect
MMAction.pl crew has an update on one of Europe's premiere light
heavyweights and a member of Polish KSW Team, Mamed Khalidov
(17-3-1). In an interview conducted back in February during the
Pro-Fight III event held in his adopted hometown of Olsztyn,
Khalidov and his managers, Maciej Kawulski and Martin Lewandowski,
talked about fighter's hand injury from last October's ShoXC bout,
preparations for May KSW XI event and possible fights on
International arenas.
I have translated the portion of interview discussing Khalidov's
future outside of Poland. The rest is available in Polish HERE, all
credits to MMAction.pl.
MMAction.pl: You have last fought in US for Pro Elite promotion.
[With organization's subsequent bankruptcy] Elite XC is now
becoming a distant memory. What's next for Khalidov?
Kawulski: We are now in final talks with Sengoku [WVR's MMA
outlet] on details of the contract. It was Mamed's desire to pursue
career in Japan. We feel that thanks to [Japanese] strategy of
exhibiting their fighters not only as athletes, but personalities
outside the ring he could develop a huge following there(...) As
was the case with [Pro Elite's non-exclusive contract in] United
States, Mamed will continue to fight both in Japan and Poland for
KSW promotion.
Lewandowski: Other than Sengoku we have been contacted by
Strikeforce and Affliction.
MMAction.pl: Would you consider their offers?
Lewandowski: Of course, yes. At the moment it boils down to
business matters and by that I mean not only material incentive,
which is without denying a very important point, but in a wider
picture partner's financial stability and role in developing the
discipline(...) With EliteXC we reached agreement only after long
and strenuous talks which lasted for more than half a year and
after that Mamed's debut has been first delayed and soon after it
took place the company folded. We shall consider carefully all the
mentioned aspects to avoid such situations in future.
A young student of Karate who emigrated at 17 years of age
leaving Grozny in aftermath of First Chechen War, Khalidov
developed fully as a fighter in his adopted country of Poland
training wrestling, taekwondo and boxing before eventually joining
an MMA club in Olsztyn. Known for his unorthodox style Khalidov
made fame submitting among others Mirko 'Cro-Cop' Filipovic's
protege Igor Pokrajac(19-5) with a kneebar, Dutch veteran and
former 2H2H champion Dave Dalgliesh(30-18-2) in 1st round via
armbar and fighting to a draw newly signed Bellator Middleweight
tournament participant Daniel Tabera(12-1-3). Khalidov is unbeaten
since 2005 and ranked no. 2 light heavyweight in Europe by German
'Ground and Pound' magazine.
If the contract negotiations with World Victory Road indeed come
through, the Chechen native could be featured as a part of Sengoku
X card in August along headlining lightweight champion Satoru
Kitaoka, after fighting first on KSW XI card on May 16 for KSW
Light Heavyweight title belt. The relatively undersized light
heavyweight, who in his most recent performance against Jason Guida
fought at natural weight of 200.5 lbs might then consider dropping
a weight class in a potential middleweight bout against rising star
Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal (4-0) or reigning champion of that
division, Jorge Santiago (21-7).