Russian mixed martial arts fighter Vadim Nemkov, who was born in Kazakhstan, failed to defend his Professional Fighters League (PFL) heavyweight title, losing the championship bout in Dubai to fellow Russian Sergei Bilostenniy, infohub.kz reports.
The fight headlined the card in the United Arab Emirates. The two met in the heavyweight division, up to 120.2 kilograms.
The bout went the full five rounds. Bilostenniy won by unanimous decision — 49:46, 48:47, 48:47 — and became the new PFL heavyweight champion.
For the 31-year-old Russian, the win was his third in a row. He now has 16 victories and four defeats on his record.
Nemkov, for his part, lost for the first time since April 2016 and for the third time in his career. The 34-year-old Russian now holds 20 wins and one no-contest.
Nemkov was born and spent his early childhood in Kazakhstan before moving with his family to Russia. He represents the team of Fedor Emelianenko, one of the most decorated fighters in mixed martial arts history. Bilostenniy also trained there earlier and was Nemkov's sparring partner.