Viktor Nemkov vs Shamil Gamzatov Prediction: the Champ Will Keep the Belt

On June 12th in St. Petersburg, the Nashe Delo league is holding a big live tournament to celebrate Russia Day. The main event will be a bout between the reigning champion, Viktor Nemkov, and former UFC fighter Shamil Gamzatov. The fight will take place in the heavyweight category (93+) and include five rounds of five minutes each. 

Viktor Nemkov is a two-time world champion in combat sambo. He's been competing in professional MMA since 2008 and has achieved much but a little less than his younger brother. Viktor returned from overseas promotions in 2021, got three fights in Russia, and won all of them. In his last bout, he knocked out Khusein Adamov in the fifth round and became the champion of the Nashe Delo league. 

Gamzatov has only one loss in his career, which he suffered in his last fight—to Michal Oleksiejczuk by technical knockout in the first round at UFC 267. In that bout, the Pole came out strong from the first seconds, and this pressure became a problem for Shamil. He was pushed to the net but missed a lot and eventually got caught with a powerful punch. He couldn't defend anymore.

Shamil won everything else, though. He's the European and world MMA champion, winner of international jiu-jitsu tournaments in Abu Dhabi, master of sports in combat sambo, champion of Russia and the world in grappling, and champion of Dagestan in kickboxing. His experience fighting in the world's top promotions, like PFL and UFC, is worth mentioning. Recall that Gamzatov trained with the American Top Team, had a camp with Andrei Orlovsky, BJ Penn, and Alistair Overeem, and sparred with Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson.

In this bout, our bet is on Nemkov, who has been on a winning streak and has displayed confidence and power in the Russian leagues. Gamzatov's current form remains a mystery, as his last fight was in the fall of 2021, and he suffered a quick loss. This element of unpredictability adds a thrilling edge to the match, making it a must-watch for all combat sports enthusiasts.