Amar Suloev
| Amar Suloev | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 7, 1976 Tashir, Armenian SFSR, USSR |
| Died | June 27, 2016 (aged 40) Anapa, Russia |
| Nationality | Yazidi Kurdish |
| Citizenship | Armenia Russia |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) |
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) |
| Division | Light Heavyweight Middleweight |
| Style | Wrestling, Kickboxing, Judo, Sambo, Muay Thai, Jiu-Jitsu |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Fighting out of | Anapa, Russia |
| Team | Red Devil Sport Club |
| Years active | 1999–2008 |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 33 |
| Wins | 25 |
| By knockout | 14 |
| By submission | 8 |
| By decision | 3 |
| Losses | 8 |
| By knockout | 2 |
| By submission | 4 |
| By decision | 2 |
| Other information | |
| Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | |
Amar Suloev (January 7, 1976 – June 27, 2016) was an Armenian mixed martial artist.[1] Following his mixed martial arts career, Suloev allegedly became involved in the world of organized crime and was arrested and accused of being a contract killer.[2] He died of stomach cancer in June 2016.[3] During his career, he fought for the UFC, PRIDE Fighting Championships, Cage Rage, and M-1 Global.
Suloev made the first recorded use of the submission hold that became known as the Suloev Stretch in a 2002 victory over Paul Cahoon.[4] The hold, a kneebar variant applied from the back control position, was subsequently used effectively by MMA fighters including Kenny Robertson, Aljamain Sterling and Zabit Magomedsharipov.[5] It has also been used by grappler Josh Cisneros.
Background
Suloev was born into a Kurdish Yazidi family in Tashir, Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (now Armenia).[6]
Mixed martial arts career
A former kickboxer and Greco-Roman wrestler, Suloev was recruited by the Russian team Red Devil Sport Club and made his debut in national promotion M-1 Global in 1999, losing to Andrei Semenov by armbar. Suloev later avenged his defeat by choking out Semenov in Brazil for World Vale Tudo Championship, winning the WVC 11 Middleweight Tournament in the process.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
At UFC 35, Suloev came to fight in the premier MMA organization of the United States where he faced top light heavyweight Chuck Liddell. The fight went to decision, where Liddell was awarded the win on points. The fight was intense and Suloev demonstrated his level of skill with kickboxing as he avoided the trademark power shots of the feared American fighter. Despite the loss, Amar was one of only seven fighters to take Liddell to decision. The UFC invited him back at UFC 37 to fight Phil Baroni, where a controversial knee by Suloev was landed while Baroni was on his knees getting up, shortly after the referee stood them up, Baroni landed a flurry of punches which stopped Suloev.[6]
PRIDE Fighting Championships
After a brief stint in the UFC, Suloev returned to M-1 Global for a few fights before jumping to the top Japanese MMA promotion Pride Fighting Championships. His first fight in Pride came against top Brazilian Jiu Jitsu ace Dean Lister, which ended in a decision win for Amar. His next fight came against another highly regarded jiu jitsu fighter Paulo Filho, however, in this fight, despite some aggression and relative success in striking on the feet, Filho proved to be the far better grappler, as he got a submission victory. Top Brazilian Top Team fighter, Murilo Bustamante faced Suloev in his next Pride appearance, and on this occasion, Suloev was able to largely keep the fight standing, where his strong kickboxing background guided him to a victory. In his final Pride fight, Denis Kang was his opponent, and much like the fight against Filho, Suloev was unsuccessful in avoiding the submission once the fight reached the canvas.
Criminal allegations
After concluding his MMA career, Suloev reportedly went to work for a private security company named VAN.[2] The company was connected to Sergei Zirinov, a businessman, Krasnodar Krai legislative assemblyman, and member of president Vladimir Putin's United Russia Party.[2] Suloev was said to have acted as Zirinov's security guard, and carried out assignments on his behalf.[2]
According to the subsequent charges, Zirinov directed a group of six to nine men, including Suloev, who between them carried out four murders and a further attempted murder in cities on Russia's Black Sea coast, which arose out of extortion attempts by Zirinov.[6] Suloev reportedly joined the gang in 2012,[7] after the first three murders, but according to prosecutors was involved in the fourth, and an attempted murder that took place at the same time.
The first two murder victims were Vitaly Sadovnichy, the director of a sanatorium resort in the city of Anapa, and his wife, Olga Ivankina. According to the indictment, both were killed at a meeting with Zirinov on 24 March 2002 by two of his associates.[7] Sadovnichy was shot twice in the back, while his wife was first strangled then shot in the head.[7] There is no allegation that Suloev was involved. Sadovnichy had complained before his death that he had received threats from Zirinov, but an official investigation at the time had failed to confirm the allegation.[8]
Businessman Salman Nabiyev was shot twice in the back in the courtyard of his home off Karl Marx Street in Novorossiysk on 17 December 2004.[8][9] Nabiyev was reported to have been involved in a commercial dispute with a "dangerous" family unrelated to Zirinov or the other accused men.[9] Again, there is no suggestion that Suloev was involved.
On 22 February 2013, Nikolai Nesterenko, a businessman, community leader, and candidate for political office, was shot at from a "considerable distance" while getting into his car in Anapa.[2] Nesterenko was wounded in the torso and arm but survived, while his driver was killed on the spot. Shortly after the failed assassination, arrests of suspects begun.[2] In the course of the investigation, two of those arrested confessed to involvement in multiple murders, including a former special forces operative named Dmitry Sapozhnikov, who said he pulled the trigger in each of the shootings. Sapozhnikov implicated Suloev as the driver in the Nesterenko hit.[7]
Suloev himself was arrested on 26 March 2013 in a Yessentuki sanatorium.[10] Subsequent testimony from Suloev's wife indicated that the arresting FSB officers stole, used, and damaged Suloev's Audi A6 sports car and an expensive watch, before returning both items five months later, while almost 130,000 rubles was withdrawn from his bank account and vanished without trace.[10]
Both the prosecution's case and the conduct of the trial was criticised in the Russian press.[11] The criticisms included reference to evidence of torture against "a number"[12] of defendants, including burns resulting from electric shocks on the body of one of the defendants, a 60-year-old man.[10] Defendants were also reportedly denied sufficient access to their lawyers.[12] Nesterenko's testimony before the court was reportedly vague and insubstantial, and Nesterenko himself had previously been the subject of extortion allegations.[13]
There were reportedly problems with the state's case against Suloev. One killer testified that Suloev had been the get away driver for the Nesterenko hit. But Suloev did not match eyewitness descriptions of the driver.[citation needed] Furthermore, his neighbor testified to meeting him on the morning of the attempt at his house at 9:05 am.[citation needed] The attempt occurred at about 9am hundreds of kilometers away.[14] [failed verification]
At the time of Suloev's death, his trial had been suspended and he had been released on bail following his stage four stomach cancer diagnosis.[15]
Championships and accomplishments
- M-1 Global
- 2000 M-1 MFC World Championship Tournament Winner[16]
- 2 Hot 2 Handle
- 2H2H 3: Hotter Than Hot Tournament Winner
- World Vale Tudo Championship
- WVC 11 Middleweight Tournament Winner[17]
Mixed martial arts record
| 31 matches | 24 wins | 7 losses |
| By knockout | 12 | 2 |
| By submission | 8 | 3 |
| By decision | 4 | 2 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 24–7 | Jacek Buczko | TKO (kick and punches) | M-1 Challenge 2: Russia | April 3, 2008 | 1 | 0:56 | St. Petersburg, Russia | |
| Loss | 23–7 | Chael Sonnen | TKO (punches) | BodogFIGHT: Alvarez vs. Lee | July 14, 2007 | 2 | 3:33 | Trenton, New Jersey, United States | |
| Win | 23–6 | Andy Foster | KO (punches) | BodogFIGHT: Clash of the Nations | April 14, 2007 | 1 | 0:26 | St. Petersburg, Russia | |
| Win | 22–6 | Hun Kim | TKO (punches) | M-1 MFC: Russia vs. Korea | January 20, 2007 | 1 | 4:35 | St. Petersburg, Russia | |
| Loss | 21–6 | Denis Kang | Submission (one-arm strangle) | PRIDE Bushido 12 | August 26, 2006 | 1 | 4:10 | Nagoya, Japan | |
| Win | 21–5 | Murilo Bustamante | Decision (unanimous) | PRIDE Bushido 11 | June 4, 2006 | 2 | 5:00 | Saitama, Japan | |
| Win | 20–5 | James Nicholl | TKO (doctor stoppage) | Cage Rage 16 | April 22, 2006 | 1 | 5:00 | London, United Kingdom | |
| Win | 19–5 | Damien Riccio | KO (knee) | M-1 MFC: Russia vs. France | November 3, 2005 | 1 | 1:25 | St. Petersburg, Russia | |
| Loss | 18–5 | Paulo Filho | Submission (armbar) | PRIDE: Bushido 6 | April 3, 2005 | 1 | 4:22 | Yokohama, Japan | |
| Win | 18–4 | Dean Lister | Decision (split) | PRIDE Bushido 4 | July 19, 2004 | 2 | 5:00 | Nagoya, Japan | |
| Win | 17–4 | Din Thomas | TKO (punches and soccer kicks) | Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2003 | December 31, 2003 | 1 | 4:22 | Kobe, Japan | |
| Win | 16–4 | Yushin Okami | TKO (punches) | M-1 MFC: Russia vs. the World 6 | October 10, 2003 | 1 | 4:44 | St. Petersburg, Russia | |
| Win | 15–4 | Julian Gonzales | Submission (rear-naked choke) | M-1 MFC: Russia vs. the World 4 | November 15, 2002 | 1 | 1:38 | St. Petersburg, Russia | |
| Win | 14–4 | Paul Cahoon | Submission (Suloev stretch)[4] | 2H2H 5: Simply the Best | October 13, 2002 | 1 | 1:03 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | |
| Loss | 13–4 | Phil Baroni | TKO (punches) | UFC 37 | May 10, 2002 | 1 | 2:55 | Bossier City, Louisiana, United States | |
| Loss | 13–3 | Chuck Liddell | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 35 | January 11, 2002 | 3 | 5:00 | Uncasville, Connecticut, United States | Light Heavyweight bout. |
| Win | 13–2 | Moise Rimbon | TKO (punches) | 2H2H 3: Hotter Than Hot | October 7, 2001 | 2 | 4:48 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | Won 2H2H 3: Hotter Than Hot Tournament. |
| Win | 12–2 | Paul Cahoon | Decision (2–0 points) | 2H2H 3: Hotter Than Hot | October 7, 2001 | 2 | 5:00 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | 2H2H 3: Hotter Than Hot Tournament Semifinals. |
| Win | 11–2 | Patrick de Witte | Submission (armbar) | 2H2H 3: Hotter Than Hot | October 7, 2001 | 1 | 1:11 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | 2H2H 3: Hotter Than Hot Tournament Quarterfinals. |
| Win | 10–2 | Pedro Otavio | KO (punches) | M-1 MFC: Russia vs. the World 1 | April 27, 2001 | 1 | 3:40 | St. Petersburg, Russia | |
| Win | 9–2 | Valentin Siouljine | TKO (injury) | Pancration Cup of Russia 1 | December 1, 2000 | 1 | 4:52 | St. Petersburg, Russia | |
| Win | 8–2 | Alexander Mayorov | TKO (strikes) | PCR: Pancration Cup of Russia 1 | December 1, 2000 | 1 | 1:31 | St. Petersburg, Russia | |
| Win | 7–2 | Vagam Bodjukyan | Submission (choke) | M-1 MFC: World Championship 2000 | November 11, 2000 | 2 | 2:51 | St. Petersburg, Russia | Won M-1 MFC World Championship Tournament. |
| Win | 6–2 | Rick Rootlieb | Submission (choke) | M-1 MFC: World Championship 2000 | November 11, 2000 | 3 | 0:31 | St. Petersburg, Russia | M-1 MFC World Championship Tournament Semifinals. |
| Win | 5–2 | Andrei Semenov | Submission (rear-naked choke) | World Vale Tudo Championship 11 | May 27, 2000 | 1 | 1:47 | Recife, Brazil | Won WVC 11 Middleweight Tournament. |
| Win | 4–2 | Alberto Prima | Submission (kicks) | World Vale Tudo Championship 11 | May 27, 2000 | 1 | 1:25 | Recife, Brazil | WVC 11 Middleweight Tournament Semifinals. |
| Win | 3–2 | Luis Alberto | KO (kick) | WVC 11: World Vale Tudo Championship 11 | May 27, 2000 | 1 | 2:26 | Recife, Brazil | WVC 11 Middleweight Tournament Quarterfinals. |
| Win | 2–2 | Erik Oganov | Submission (armbar) | Pankration World Championship 2000 Day 1 | April 28, 2000 | 1 | 0:21 | Moscow, Russia | |
| Loss | 1–2 | Darrel Gholar | Decision | PCNC: Pancration Cup of North Caucasus | April 9, 2000 | 2 | 10:00 | St. Petersburg, Russia | |
| Win | 1–1 | Sergei Yankovski | Decision | PCNC: Pancration Cup of North Caucasus | March 5, 2000 | 2 | 10:00 | Rostov, Russia | |
| Loss | 0–1 | Andrei Semenov | Submission (armbar) | M-1 MFC: World Championship 1999 | April 9, 1999 | 1 | 6:08 | St. Petersburg, Russia | 1999 M-1 MFC Middleweight Tournament Semifinals. |
References
- ^ Professional MMA record for Amar Suloev from Sherdog
- ^ a b c d e f "Одним из подручных депутата Зиринова был известный боец Амар Сулоев". yuga.ru. 13 June 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
- ^ "Amar Suloev Dead At Age 40". mmanews.com. 28 June 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
- ^ a b Gould, K. J. (24 February 2013). "UFC 157 Judo Chop: Kenny Robertson's 'Suloev Stretch' kneebar submission against Brock Jardine". Bloody Elbow. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
- ^ Teague, Hywel (6 April 2022). "The Suloev Stretch at ADCC Trials: What Is It and How Does It Work?". Flograppling. Archived from the original on 26 March 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
- ^ a b c Zidan, Karim (30 April 2016). "MMA Hitman: The former UFC fighter who became a dangerous contract killer". Bloody Elbow. Archived from the original on 2016-05-01. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
- ^ a b c d Titov, Evgeny (11 June 2014). "Killer who spoke about his involvement in the gang of United Russia deputy Zirinov has been convicted" (in Russian). Novaya Gazeta. Archived from the original on 26 March 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
- ^ a b "Witness tells about sanatorium director's complaint about Zirinov's threats". Kavkaz Uzel. 22 December 2015. Archived from the original on 26 March 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
- ^ a b "Zirinov case: witnesses tell about dangerous creditors of businessman Nabiev" (in Russian). 1rnd.ru. 25 April 2016. Archived from the original on 26 March 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
- ^ a b c "Chekist Umansky is waiting for Zirinov in Rostov" (in Russian). Versia.ru. Archived from the original on 26 March 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
- ^ "The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation has moved the hearing of the criminal case of the "Zirinov gang" from Krasnodar to Rostov" (in Russian). Versia.ru. 4 September 2015. Archived from the original on 26 March 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
- ^ a b "Without the right to defense" (in Russian). Versia.ru. 6 April 2015. Archived from the original on 26 March 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
- ^ "The Unfavorable Truth About the "Gang"". Versia.ru (in Russian). 24 August 2015. Archived from the original on 26 March 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
- ^ "Свидетель рассказал суду о передаче Зиринову сумки с автоматом". Kavkaz Uzel (in Russian). 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
- ^ "В СИЗО погибает чемпион". Versia.ru (in Russian). 15 January 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
- ^ M-1 MFC World Championship 2000
- ^ WVC 11 Middleweight Tournament
External links
