Sergei Kharitonov has been throwing hands with the world’s best for more than a decade and a half in a career that has taken him from Russia to Japan to the U.S.
Now set for action in the main event at Bellator 234 in Tel Aviv, Israel, “The Paratrooper” looks to continue his winning run with victory over two-time former light heavyweight title challenger Linton Vassell.
Ahead of his main event clash with the Brit, we take a look back at six of the key fights that helped define the career of one of MMA’s longest-serving heavyweight stalwarts.
Semmy Schilt at PRIDE Critical Countdown – June 20, 2004
Arguably the performance that first put Kharitonov on the map came more than 15 years ago, back in the summer of 2004, when he finished 7-foot-tall Dutch kickboxing legend Semmy Schilt in the first round of their matchup in Japan.
Kharitonov headed into the bout known as a boxer and kickboxer, but he leaned on his ground skills to take decorated kickboxing superstar Schilt off his feet and mount the big Dutchman.
Once on top, Kharitonov methodically proceeded to smash Schilt with heavy-duty ground and pound to eliminate one of the pre-tournament favorites from the lineup and announce himself as a threat to PRIDE’s most dangerous men at heavyweight.
Alistair Overeem at K-1 HERO’S – Sept. 23, 2009
After going 8-3 in PRIDE, Kharitonov entered kickboxing promotion K-1’s MMA off-shoot HERO’S and finished Alistair Overeem in the first round to claim the 16th win of his career.
After a closely-contested start to the bout, Kharitonov’s power took hold mid-way through the opening round as Overeem struggled to take the Russian’s flat-footed power shots.
In the final round, Kharitonov had Overeem on the run as the Dutchman tried to sprint out of danger following a heavy barrage of shots. But he couldn’t escape, and a final power punch from “The Paratrooper” decked “The Reem” and closed the show.
Andrei Arlovski at ‘Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva’ – Feb. 15, 2011
By 2011, Kharitonov’s reputation as one of the most destructive punchers in heavyweight MMA was well established, and he showcased that power in his first-round demolition of former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski in the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix quarterfinals.
Kharitonov backed Arlovski against the cage and set to work on the Belarusian. Arlovski seemed to be covering up relatively well until he shipped a punishing knee to the midsection that caused his hands to drop. Kharitonov didn’t need a second invitation, and loaded up with his best shots as he finished “Pitbull” in just two minutes, 49 seconds.
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou at M-1 Challenge 80 – June 15, 2017
Kharitonov’s “have gloves, will travel” approach to his career means that he has competed across the globe, but he certianly enjoyed great success fighting for Russian promotion M-1 Global.
One of his most eye-catching victories cane at M-1 Challenge 80, when he finished Cameroonian powerhouse Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou in just 40 seconds with a one-punch knockout in China.
Sokoudjou pushed forward, looking to throw bombs at the start of the bout, and connected with a solid uppercut that Kharitonov ate up like a cookie before returning fire with a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it right cross that sent “The African Assassin” crashing to the canvas for a stunning one-hitter-quitter.
It proved that Kharitonov had an iron chin to match his sledgehammer right hand as he scored one of the most devastating one-shot KOs of his career.
Roy Nelson at Bellator 207 – Oct. 12, 2018
Roy Nelson doesn’t get knocked out often, so when Kharitonov face-planted “Big Country” into the mat after a crushing uppercut and a thumping knee, it served notice to the rest of the division that the Russian veteran may be long in the tooth, but he’s every bit as powerful as ever.
It gave Kharitonov his second win under the Bellator banner, both by first-round knockout, as he followed up on his first-round finish of Chase Gormley a year-and-a-half earlier with one of his most impressive finishes to date.
Matt Mitrione at Bellator 225 – Aug. 24, 2019
The win over Nelson pitched Kharitonov into a likely title eliminator with fellow surging heavyweight Matt Mitrione, but their first meeting at Bellator 215 this past February didn’t go according to plan for either man.
A stray inside leg kick from Mitrione in the very first striking exchange of the fight missed its mark and connected flush with Kharitonov’s cup. The pain was etched all over the Russian veteran’s face as he tried, and failed, to shake off one of the nastiest nut shots we’ve seen in a long time.
It left Mitrione frustrated and annoyed, and Kharitonov in a world of pain. A rematch was essential, and the pair met for a second time six months later at Bellator 225, where a huge knee from Kharitonov sent Mitrione to the canvas, where he finished his man with punches to claim the victory and leave no doubt about his status as a legitimate threat to Ryan Bader’s Bellator heavyweight title.
Now, Kharitonov faces former light heavyweight contender Vassell in Tel Aviv hoping that one more big finish could be the final act that sets him up for a shot at Bellator heavyweight gold in 2020.
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