Yaroslav Amosov Set To Put On A Showcase At Bellator 301

“Nobody at American Top Team commands more respect than Yaroslav Amosov”

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Yaroslav Amosov Headlines Bellator 301

Yaroslav Amosov defends the Bellator welterweight title against Jason Jackson later tonight at Bellator 301.

If this is the final event in Bellator history, it will be a hit to all of MMA. But while reports on the breakdown of Bellator are forthcoming, the current focus is on the athletes competing on tonight’s card–and no one has a story quite like Amosov.

After winning his first 26 fights, Amosov left MMA a year ago to stay in Ukraine and fight off the Russian invasion of his homeland. While stories like this were slightly more common in World War II, it is practically unheard in modern times.

Courtesy Bellator

In a conversation in June of 2022 with this reporter, Amosov recounted the horrors of the Russian attack on Ukraine:

“I’ve seen the dead lay on the ground for two, three weeks,” said Amosov, who spoke through a translator. “I have seen them cover the ground. No one could give them a burial.

“You hear that the Russians have planned all this strategic bombing,” says Amosov, a highly decorated mixed martial artist. “It is a lie. They bomb whatever they can. Daycares, hospitals, schools. It does not matter to them. Russian soldiers are torturing and killing innocent people.”

Amosov fought for his country. Against his will, his fellow troops implored him to leave Ukraine and continue competing in MMA–a place where his support of Ukraine could be heard loudly around the globe.

“Leaving Ukraine was very difficult,” Amosov said to SI last November. “That was not what I wanted to do. People were pushing me to leave, and all their intentions were pure. But I feel absolutely horrible about it. I’ve felt that way since I crossed the border. It is still a very volatile situation. I constantly wait for news about my friends. I keep learning about friends that have died. Just thinking about it is terrible, and I can’t stop thinking about it.”

Despite serious contemplation about retiring from MMA, Amosov returned to the cage in February, successfully defending his title against Logan Storley and extending his undefeated streak. Now he seeks to continue his dominance in the cage against Jackson (16-4), who enters this bout on a six-fight winning streak.

Only 30, Amosov possesses wisdom beyond his years. He is a beloved member of American Top Team, where ATT founder Dan Lambert has helped bring a global spotlight to his precision in the cage.

“Nobody at American Top Team commands more respect than Yaroslav Amosov,” said Lambert. “There are a lot of coaches and fighters in our gym with tons of experience in the sport–and every single one of them are in awe of how good he is. Add in what he’s been through in his home country, and it’s almost surreal watching him do what he does.”

Amosov (27-0) has fought tougher battles than what he faces tonight against Jackson. This is not life-or-death, though it does hold paramount importance to him. The more Amosov wins, the more opportunities he has to be heard.

Fighting to be heard, Amosov looks to collect another victory–and spread more support for Ukraine–in the cage tonight.

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ONE Championship Reveals New Bouts

ONE Fight Night 17 has its main event.

Speaking with Sports Illustrated, ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong announced that the ONE Fight Night 17 main event is Roman Kryklia against Alex Roberts for the inaugural heavyweight Muay Thai championship.

“ONE Championship allows our athletes to become multi-sport world champions simultaneously,” said Sityodtong. “Roman is the best heavyweight kickboxer on the planet today, and now he’s stepping into an entirely different rule set. That’s the beauty of our platform, and it’s also a testament to his greatness.”

Main Event Set For ONE Fight Night 17

MMAJunkie also broke the news this morning that John Lineker will make his Muay Thai debut at ONE Championship’s ONE Fight Night 18 this January.

This is the first time Lineker will be competing professionally in a Muay Thai match. His opponent will be Liam Harrison, and the bout will take place at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Boxing Stadium.

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The Pick ‘Em Section

Bellator 301 welterweight title bout: Yaroslav Amosov (c) vs. Jason Jackson

Pick: Yaroslav Amosov

Bellator 301 bantamweight title bout: Sergio Pettis (c) vs. Patchy Mix (ic)

Pick: Sergio Pettis

Bellator 301 bantamweight bout: Raufeon Stots vs. Danny Sabatello

Pick: Raufeon Stots

AJ McKee vs. Sidney Outlaw

Pick: AJ McKee

Bellator 301 lightweight bout: Patricky “Pitbull” Freire vs. Alexandr Shabliy

Pick: Alexandr Shabliy

Last week: 1-4

2023 record: 125-77