Mikhail Ilyukhin

Mikhail Ilyukhin
Born	(1966-11-21) November 21, 1966 Tula, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union (now Russia)
Nationality	Russian
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight	205 lb (93 kg; 14.6 st)
Division	Light Heavyweight
Team	Russian Top Team
Years active	1994–2005
Mixed martial arts record
Total	55
Wins	36
By knockout	1
By submission	33
By decision	2
Losses	18
By knockout	6
By submission	12
Draws	1
Other information
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Mikhail Ilyukhin (born November 21, 1966) is a retired Russian mixed martial artist and professional wrestler who competed in the light heavyweight division. He competed in both RINGS, and Pride Fighting Championships, and was a prominent member of Russia Top Team, where he trained with the likes of Volk Han, Fedor Emelianenko, and Sergei Kharitonov.^[1] At Pride 26, Ilyukhin lost by stoppage to Quinton Jackson.^[2] He won his last fight at K-1 – Hero's Lithuania against Jordanas Poskaitis on November 26, 2005. It appears that following the demise of the Russia Top Team Ilyukhin has retired.^[3]

Career

RINGS

In 1994, after a successful career in sambo, Ilyukhin debuted in the professional wrestling promotion RINGS, submitting Mitsuya Nagai in his first match. He would become a part of the RINGS Russia team, along with Volk Han, Andrei Kopylov and Nikolai Zouev.

A year after, Mikhail had his first contact in MMA represented RINGS Russia in the International Absolute Fighting Council (IAFC)'s Absolute Fighting Eurasian Championship, where he won the tournament by submitting six opponents, five of them by achilles hold and in roughly one minute each. Only three months after, he returned to IAFC for a similar format tournament, getting a win over kickboxer Igor Vovchanchyn via improvised submission (digging his chin into Igor's eye while he had dominant position) and skipping a match when teammate Achmed Sagidgusenov threw the fight for him. He met Brazilian vale tudo exponent and much heavier opponent Ricardo Morais at the finals, and although Mikhail dominated early the match, hitting headbutts and ground and pound, Morais finally reversed him and got the win with a rear naked choke. Despite the loss, it gained him fame in the Brazilian scene, and he got a spot against Carlos Barreto in Universal Vale Tudo Fighting, where he was beaten at the second round. He also defeated capoeira fighter Mestre Hulk, who was known for his tournament victory against Amaury Bitetti, using the already known chin submission.

Back in RINGS, Ilyukhin had a vale tudo rules match against Adilson Lima, who had been famously defeated by Vovchanchyn in the first IAFC tournament, but he was beaten after almost half an hour of fighting. Mikhail spent the rest of the year in pro wrestling matches, until he returned to MMA format facing Randy Couture. Ilyukhin won the match by keylock submission, but it was a controversial move, as he locked the hold while they were being repositionated on the center of the ring. In 1999, Ilyukhin was selected to compete in RINGS's first MMA tournament, King of Kings 1999. He defeated his two first opponents, Justin McCully and Brad Kohler, and then faced luta livre fighter Renato Sobral at the block's finals. The match was heated, with Sobral earning a yellow card for throwing Mikhail over the top rope, and saw the Russian attempting takedowns and low kicks in order to hold his own. After the judges ruled a draw, an overtime was called, in which Mikhail attempted a standing Kimura lock entry only to Sobral to reverse it to an armbar for the win.

Ilyukhin also took part in the next edition of the tournament in 2000, facing Tsuyoshi Kohsaka in the first round. Although the bout was back and forth, Kohsaka landed a striking combination in the second round which knocked Mikhail out, eliminating him from the event.

PRIDE

Ilyukhin took part in a special match against Quinton Jackson in PRIDE Fighting Championships in 2003. The Russian was successful in taking and holding down Jackson, but his opponent powered out and started hitting back, knocking Mikhail down and making him earn a yellow card for crawling under the ropes. Jackson dominated the standing exchanges afterwards, and after avoiding a triangle choke, he gained side control over Mikhail and threw knees to the liver, making him tap out.

Championships and accomplishments

• Fighting Network RINGS
  • 1997 RINGS Mega Battle Tournament Runner up^[4]
  • 2001 RINGS Openweight Championship Tournament semifinalist^[4]
• International Absolute Fighting Council
  • IAFC Absolute Fighting Eurasian Championship Tournament Winner
  • IAFC Absolute Fighting Championship Tournament Runner Up

Mixed martial arts record

References

External links

• Professional MMA record for Mikhail Ilyukhin from Sherdog