Vadim Nemkov extended his promotional record for light heavyweight title defenses to four at Bellator 297 on Friday.
Now, the Russian champ is looking for a new challenge, and quite possibly will find it at a new weight class.
Nemkov (17-2, 1NC) fended off Yoel Romero on Friday, using speed and pinpoint striking to pick “The Soldier of God” apart. A less experienced fighter with a lesser chin would likely have fallen, but Romero stuck around, even winning the fifth round of a fight he was otherwise dominated in.
As for Nemkov, he has now beat Ryan Bader, Phil Davis, Corey Anderson, and Romero, a who’s who of the 205lb division. Having also picked up the victory in the Light Heavyweight Grand Prix last year, it’s on to the next one for Nemkov. It just might not come at 205lbs.
“Pretty much I don’t see any challenge for me in the light heavyweight division, so I may try myself in the heavyweight division now,” Nemkov told media outlets in person and online following the fight at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago. “Because there’s no one else to fight there [at light heavyweight].”
Corey Anderson might beg to differ. He came away from Friday’s card with a win over fellow UFC alum Davis, currently ranked #1 in the weight class. That, however, doesn’t seem to have convinced Nemkov of the need for a third fight with Anderson.
“He just won [against] Phil Davis. Phil Davis was number one, so he was the one that you have to pass through to get to the top. He probably is deserving it, but I would prefer to fight someone else, who I didn’t fight yet,” Nemkov stated. “Because if I’m going to fight Corey Anderson right now, next fight for Phil Davis, he’s going to win [against] someone else, so it would be a third fight with Phil Davis again.”
Nemkov talking about a heavyweight move isn’t new — he told Cageside Press ahead of the event that he was interested in such a move, and that if he made the jump, it would likely be a permanent move.
Watch the full Bellator 297 post-fight press conference with Vadim Nemkov above.
