As was reported earlier today, K-1 star Alexey Ignashov will be participating on the K-1 show scheduled for December 31st. The fight will be under MMA rules, effectively making it Ignashov's MMA debut.
Inside sources tell us that K-1 has signed Ignashov to a long-term deal, and hope to make him into the new Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipovic of MMA. Ignashov will still compete in regular K-1, but will also figure prominently into the new K-1 MMA promotion if his transition into MMA goes as planned.
Ignashov has been training MMA with Brazilian Marco Calcavante, who also helped to prepare Cro Cop for MMA. When asked to compare the two, Calcavante says that Cro Cop has a powerful left cross and high kick, but that Ignashov can do everything and is much more powerful. Calcavante adds that Ignashov is very dedicated and learning very quick, and feels that Ignashov can be an MMA champion in one year's time.
Former K-1 star Sam Greco has been busy working as Ignashov's sparring partner, and also learning some MMA from Calcavante as well. Greco feels that Ignashov has the right instincts for either K-1 or MMA, and feels he will do well in MMA.
Ignashov's opponent for the December 31st show will most likely be Japanese amateur wrestler Yoshihiro Nakao.
"A War Isn't Won By Dying For Your Country, It's Won By Making Some Other Poor Dumb Bastard Die For His!"
http://www.mma.sfd.pl/