RIVERSIDE’S KARAKHANYAN IS GAINING RESPECT IN MARTIAL ARTS AFTER CONCENTRATING ON SOCCER FOR SEVERAL YEARS
By Breanna Armstrong
The Press Enterprise (Riverside, CA.)
May 14, 2009, Thursday
RIVERSIDE
It only made sense that Riverside’s Georgi Karakhanyan would be a
martial artist.
His father, who held a black belt in karate, introduced young Georgi
to martial arts when he was 6.
By the age of 8, Georgi was fighting in his first full-contact martial
arts competition.
And after the family moved from Moscow to San Diego a couple years
later, the youngster’s martial arts career was put on hold.
"As a junior high and high school student," Karakhanyan said, "all
I wanted to do was to play soccer."
It was a career that took him to Europe and back and gave him a taste
of professional sports.
But after relocating to Riverside, where he attended North High School,
his brief but intense soccer career would give way to . . . martial
arts.
"It was a hard decision to give up such a major passion of mine,"
he said of soccer, "but my life has changed since my soccer career
came to an end. Instead of being a dreamer, I became a realist."
On Saturday night, Karakhanyan, 23, will face Albert Rios (11-3) on
the main card of the "Call to Arms" MMA event at Citizens Business
Bank Arena in Ontario.
Rios recently beat the previously undefeated Antonio Duarte (11-1)
at the last Affliction show. But Joe Pagliuso, founder of the United
States Karate Organization (USKO) and Karakhanyan’s stand-up coach,
said that won’t deter Karakhanyan.
"Georgi is a real dynamic contender – he is strong, focused and
passionate about what he does," Pagliuso said. "A lot of eyes are
currently on him. Because of his great skill, Georgi will dominate
on Saturday."
Karakhanyan, whose first MMA fight was in 2006, has built an 11-1-1
professional record.
Betiss Mansouri, owner of the Millennia MMA gym in Rancho Cucamonga,
has coached Karakhanyan for four years.
"He is fearless," Mansouri said. "He has mental, physiological, and
physical attributes which you rarely find in fighters. Some fighters
are physically strong, some are technically strong, and some are
mentally strong. Georgi has all the necessary talents."
After his move to Riverside and subsequent departure from soccer
a few years later, Karakhanyan began training at United Brazilian
Jiu Jitsu with Rommel Dunbar. Karakhanyan said he was drawn to MMA
because he liked the individuality of the sport.
Karakhanyan, an instructor at USKO in Riverside, said he maintains a
vigorous training schedule, including techniques like high-altitude
conditioning, sprinting, sparring and grappling with some of the most
experienced MMA fighters around.
Karakhanyan, who has won his past seven bouts, was named the
"HyeFighter of the Month" for September 2007, a top honor from
HyeFighter.com, a Web site based around Armenian athletes.
"He is one of the most naturally gifted athletes and has top-level
confidence," Mansouri said. "His complete game, mental and technical
toughness and humility to go out and train with everyone are what
separate him from other fighters."
Six months after he began training with Dunbar, he defeated Brent
Wooten by submission in his first MMA fight. But that’s not his
fondest MMA memory.
"My most memorable experience as a professional MMA fighter was
when I accepted a fight on a three-day notice to fight against
Bobby Merill, who had a pro record of eight wins and two losses,"
Karakhanyan said. "It was just my third (professional) fight and I
won by a flying knee knockout. It was the best moment of my life."
Karakhanyan, who always goes for the knockout, is making a lasting
punch in the mixed martial arts community.