Top 10 best Eastern European fighters in MMA history
By Keith Shillan
5. Sergei Kharitonov
Sergei Kharitonov is one of the most underrated fighters of all-time. While fans and media members talk about the greatest heavyweights in history, his name is seldom brought up. But when you dig deep into the career of Kharitonov, the only thing that eludes him is a major world championship title.
The Russian fighter has all the skills that so many fighters envy. The massive heavyweight moves like a middleweight while still packing a big-time wallop. Also a professional kickboxer, Kharitonov loves to punish his opponents with combinations. While he is best known for his boxing skills, the Russian is also excellent on the ground. Of his 28 professional wins, 10 of them have come by way of submission.
The former Russian Top Team member holds wins over so many top fighters including Murilo “Ninja” Rua, Semmy Schilt, Pedro Rizzo, Fabricio Werdum, Alistair Overeem, Andrei Arlovski, and Roy Nelson.
Kharitonov has been competing at the highest level for nearly two full decades. He has competed in some of the top MMA organizations including Pride FC, Dream, Strikeforce, M-1 Global, and Bellator. Even though he is 38-years-old, Kharitonov remains one of the most dangerous fighters in the heavyweight division winning 11 out of his last 12 contests and is likely only one or two wins away from getting a title shot in Bellator.
If the Russian is finally able to capture the major title that has eluded him for so long, he will quickly rise up the all-time heavyweight rankings where he has drastically be too low on for so long.