Kharitonov not headed to UFC, says Golden Glory executive

Sergei Kharitonov is not on his way to the UFC, according to Golden Glory executive Bas Boon.

Fighters Only contacted Boon following reports on a Russian website that Kharitonov had parted ways with Golden Glory management and was set on signing a UFC deal. In fact, Kharitonov is at this very moment in Pattaya, Thailand and training at the Golden Glory facility there alongside Boon.

“Earlier this week, I posted something on Twitter about Sergei being in Las Vegas soon so maybe that has somehow sparked this rumour,” says Boon. “But yesterday we were training together here and as you see from the picture, Sergei has the full Golden Glory t-shirt and shorts on.

“Sergei has just recently signed a new multi-fight deal with Glory World Series, which has replaced K-1 as the premier kickboxing league, and I can tell you that he will be in this year’s Glory World Series Heavyweight Grand Prix.”

Kharitonov has been dividing his time between MMA and kickboxing for the last few years and making a comfortable living in the process, but his MMA activities were hurt by the decline of Strikeforce after it was purchased by Zuffa.

His contract with Strikeforce allowed him to partake in fights for other promotions but UFC contracts are exclusive and preclude any kickboxing activity. Earlier this year, I spoke with Sergei in Holland and he said he would be open to a UFC move but only if the money was right, because it would mean losing his revenue stream from kickboxing.

GLORY World Series currently has a 70-kilo Grand Prix underway and the prize money in that tournament is $300,000. Rumour has it that the grand prize for the heavyweight tournament later this year - which will feature Semmy Schilt and Gokhan Saki among others - will be as much as $500,000.

Source: http://fightersonlymag.com/content/news/16753-exclusive-kharitonov-not-headed-to-ufc-says-golden-glory-exec

"but his MMA activities were hurt by the decline of Strikeforce after it was purchased by Zuffa."

I think this is the most revealing part of the whole thing

Fantastic news! Glory is awesome and I like how they combine mma and kickboxing in their events. K-1 Global/M-1 Global and Glory could be the future powerhouses in combatsports.

Since on his last interview he showed desire to go to there, this interview show there bas boon is the real boss. My problem w/ his organization is that GG are the trainer, manager and the promoter at the same time and for the logistical standpoint it's unfair maybe for non gg fighters fights on glory since he have all the power he wants and we have to belive on his desire to make everything fair.

If SF disclosed the full payday for atletic comission, Sergei had 100k on his last fight in America less sponsors
http://mmajunkie.com/news/25198/strikeforce-barnett-vs-kharitonov-salaries-barnett-tops-942k-fighter-payroll.mma
I don't know how many he have to pay gg, but it's strange

UFC is real for you now?

- Real. I am pleased to be fought there. But his last fight in America, I lost to Josh Barnett. And to fight in the UFC for good money, it is necessary to come into this organization is not after a loss. I have to come back a winner. Then I will have a good contract.


Now you can get there much - $ 20,000 for the fight?

- A little more. Today I'm more than $ 20,000 per fight. But I repeat: we need to come back with victories.

Bahadurzada had some issues w/ them and on the Reem documentary on late 2011 also was very interesting
http://fightlinker.com/siyar-bahadurzada-leaves-golden-glory-over-non-payment/

“They didn’t pay me my money for the Glory World Series that I fought in May 2011, and they’re keeping me in the dark about my contract and extended the contract for another five years,” Bahadurzada said.

I don't know, maybe i'm wrong but i don't fully believe in Bas Boon but cleary for Sergei the SF sell was the worst thing for him.

They could also try and add some prospect level boxing fights (domestically of course) into their events as well. But the combination of kickboxing and MMA fights is always a win, it gives the fans diversity in the arts.

bolsheet wrote:Since on his last interview he showed desire to go to there, this interview show there bas boon is the real boss. My problem w/ his organization is that GG are the trainer, manager and the promoter at the same time and for the logistical standpoint it's unfair maybe for non gg fighters fights on glory since he have all the power he wants and we have to belive on his desire to make everything fair.

If SF disclosed the full payday for atletic comission, Sergei had 100k on his last fight in America less sponsors
http://mmajunkie.com/news/25198/strikeforce-barnett-vs-kharitonov-salaries-barnett-tops-942k-fighter-payroll.mma
I don't know how many he have to pay gg, but it's strange
UFC is real for you now?

- Real. I am pleased to be fought there. But his last fight in America, I lost to Josh Barnett. And to fight in the UFC for good money, it is necessary to come into this organization is not after a loss. I have to come back a winner. Then I will have a good contract.


Now you can get there much - $ 20,000 for the fight?

- A little more. Today I'm more than $ 20,000 per fight. But I repeat: we need to come back with victories.

Bahadurzada had some issues w/ them and on the Reem documentary on late 2011 also was very interesting
http://fightlinker.com/siyar-bahadurzada-leaves-golden-glory-over-non-payment/

“They didn’t pay me my money for the Glory World Series that I fought in May 2011, and they’re keeping me in the dark about my contract and extended the contract for another five years,” Bahadurzada said.

I don't know, maybe i'm wrong but i don't fully believe in Bas Boon but cleary for Sergei the SF sell was the worst thing for him.

That structure isnt a problem, your promoter is also your fighter manager. Sergei can fight in any promotion or fight for his promotion, no big deal. This is far better than in the UFC where you can only fight in UFC and no one else.

Im glad he is fighting in both MMA and Kickboxing, too many UFC fighters nowdays are hyped to be great strikers without actually being great strikers or being challenged against other great strikers.

Sergei can beat JDS imo. They are both basically boxers but Sergei is still the more skilled. He would blast his way in and finish JDS who keeps the hands too low. I guess JDS has to sign with Glory if he wants to find out.

Sergei is gonna become champ by the end of the year if not early 2013 in whatever org he fights for. Bank on it.

Now that GOAT has retired, Sergei must lead the way for future generation Russian fighters and reach his potential.

RussianTopTeam wrote:Sergei is gonna become champ by the end of the year if not early 2013 in whatever org he fights for. Bank on it.

Now that GOAT has retired, Sergei must lead the way for future generation Russian fighters and reach his potential.

I will be really surprised if Sergei will be picked up by the UFC. Sooner or later the fans are gonna want to see him vs JDS. He's gonna walk over most everybody they put in front of him. Just like with Hunt, Dana & Lorenzo will in no way want to let Sergei anywhere near their top HW's. How are they gonna market an officer of the Evil Empire's military who speaks little if any English.

A 100% Sergei is gonna be hard for anybody to put a dent in. I think JDS is a perfect match up for him. I don't think Cain would be stupid enough to trade with him and I don't see him being strong enough to manhandle Sergie on the ground. It's gonna take a lot more to brake Sergei with GnP than it did with Pusnar.
A rematch with Overoid is something I will love to see. This would be a good fight. If Sergei catches Alistair just once solidy though... he will shatter into a billion pieces.

TUF-era fans have no clue how good a submission grappler Sergei is. He lost almost 20lbs of fluid from diarrhea and vomiting with food poisoning right up to the Barnett fight. He had nothing left just after the fight hit the ground once he hit the ground.

The Monson sub was by one of the worlds best ever HW submission grapplers. Sergie got caught after being lulled into relaxing when Monson was in side mount with one arm trapped between his legs. The 'one arm in' N/S choke was a very good technical sub that very few have the strength to do. No shame in getting beat by that.

A fight with JDS would be an incredible match. I agree, Sergei has the tools to win, same as Hunt, that will most likely get the TS after his next brutal win. (only next year now, Hunto said on his twitter that he'll only come back at the end of the year). But it's all speculation, and Sergei is not going there so it probably will never happen, which is a shame. It would be a hell of a fight.

Next JDS will probably face Cain, and i hope he wins again. I really like the guy.

Going back to Sergei. He just needs to find his way and KO people like only he does for now.

Good to hear Kharitonov is sticking with Golden Glory.

RussianTopTeam wrote:Sergei is gonna become champ by the end of the year if not early 2013 in whatever org he fights for. Bank on it.

Now that GOAT has retired, Sergei must lead the way for future generation Russian fighters and reach his potential.

I don't think so with his bottom game. The UFC especially is very wrestler dominant. Sergei will have a Mark Hunt-esque run, but then Zuffa will start thinking he's started to climb too high up the ladder and give him someone with strong wrestling and a good chin.

if he fights mma this year....i pray it is vs aleksander in m-1

Starving Hobo wrote:

RussianTopTeam wrote:Sergei is gonna become champ by the end of the year if not early 2013 in whatever org he fights for. Bank on it.

Now that GOAT has retired, Sergei must lead the way for future generation Russian fighters and reach his potential.

I don't think so with his bottom game. The UFC especially is very wrestler dominant. Sergei will have a Mark Hunt-esque run, but then Zuffa will start thinking he's started to climb too high up the ladder and give him someone with strong wrestling and a good chin.

Thats good because no one in Zuffa has a chin Sergei cant crack and no one can beat him standing either, we all know that all fights start standing. JDS and Cain love to strike, too bad that they cant outstrike Sergei.