Georgy Karakhanyan is a mixed-style fighter with a very interesting fate. He studied at the Barcelona football school, played in the US major football league for San Diego, but as a result he began to fight in a cage. The athlete performs featherweight, specializes in jujitsu and karate and is recognized as a dangerous opponent for any fighter.
Failed football player
Georgy Karakhanyan was born in Moscow in 1985 in an Armenian family. His father was engaged in business and was a wealthy person.
Having a karate belt, he shared his love of sports with his son, and he successfully engaged in martial arts, from the age of eight, participating in the first competitions.
However, the 1994 World Cup completely reversed the mind of Georgy Karakhanyan. Impressed by the game of Haji, Romario and Baggio, he categorically stated that he sees himself only in football. Karakhanyan studied at the Torpedo and Spartak football schools. After the family moved to Spain, he was honored to study at the Academy of Barcelona itself.
Georgy Karakhanyan showed good results. In the end, after all the trips of his family, he found himself in the United States, where he signed a contract with the San Diego football club, which occupied the top lines of the national championship standings.
However, football is not the most popular sport in the USA, and the guy decided for himself that he would be able to realize himself in an individual sport with great success.
Start in MMA
The former footballer returned to where he started - to martial arts. It all started with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training. For six months, Georgy Karakhanyan worked diligently in the main for combatants of mixed style martial arts and has not yet thought about serious fights. One day, one of the athletes declared for the competition was injured, and the club coach Dambar invited the newcomer to try his hand in a tournament match.
The Armenian did not refuse the call and went into the cage, having in his arsenal only one properly learned technique. His rival was an experienced veteran Brent Wooten, and no one expected that a beginner who had recently played football would be able to provide at least some resistance to the experienced fighter. However, Georgy Karakhanyan was magnificent: in the second minute of the battle he skillfully applied the “guillotine” against Wooten - the very one technique he managed to learn. The rival surrendered, and the Armenian-Russian fighter won his first victory in mixed-style battles.
"Insane"
The fight against Brent Wooden became crucial in the life of George Karakhanyan. After that, he attracted the attention of serious organizations involved in mixed-style battles, and began to regularly participate in fights. The first few years, an Armenian fighter participated in second-rate promotion tournaments, fighting against not-so-famous athletes.
However, the battles of Georgy Karakhanyan have always been bright and spectacular. Possessing karate skills since childhood, he works perfectly in the stance, throwing dangerous kicks. Jiu-Jitsu classes gave him the skills to fight, and against any opponent Georgy Karakhanyan feels confident in the most extreme situations.
From the period 2006-2009, fights against Justin Salazar can be noted. Twice he met with a dangerous fighter and both times achieved victory. In the first battle, he gained an advantage in the stance, crushing the enemy with blows, and in the second match he used the elbow lever, forcing him to ask for mercy.
Georgy Karakhanyan ended almost all of his fights ahead of schedule, and only once was defeated by Chris David by a separate decision of the judges.
For his striking and non-standard manner of battle and relaxed behavior in the ring with rivals, coaches, Georgy Karakhanyan received the nickname “Crazy” from the fans.
Going to Bellator
The next step in the development of George was his transition to Bellator in 2010 - one of the most respected organizations for mixed-style fights.
Here he got the opportunity to fight the most serious rivals.
The debut in Bellator turned out to be successful, already in the first battle Karakhanyan defeated Bao Kuch, crushing him with a knee kick. However, the level of resistance of the opponents here was much higher, and he lost to the experienced Joe Warren in the second Bellator match, losing according to the decision of the judges.
Soon, for the first time in his life, he lost his fight ahead of schedule. From the very first seconds, Patricio Freire launched a fierce attack, and Karakhanyan could not oppose his onslaught. The match ended ahead of schedule - in the first minute by technical knockout.
After this defeat, George left Bellator for a while and focused on the fights of other organizations, giving a bright series of victories. Along the way, he became the WSOF champion featherweight champion, defeating Lance Palmer with a choke technique.
In 2014, George Karakhanyan could not defend his title, losing to Rick Glen, and then returned to Bellator.
Since then, the fighter spent six fights, having won an equal number of victories and defeats. He lost his last fight in 2017 to Manuel Sanchez with a judicial decision.