I have the same goal as every athlete – to be the best in your sport for as long as you can,” says 25 year old Magomed ” The Eagle” Shikshabekov as he sets his sights on the next stage of his career as part of the undercard for M-1Global and STRIKEFORCE present Fedor vs. Werdum on June 26 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose California.
Shikshabekov, the son of a Combat Sambo trainer, got his start in combat athletics at 10 years old. He credits his father and his early start for developing his will to win. A full-time athlete, Shikshabekov attended sports college where he studied Ushu-sanda, and eventually became Champion of Makhachkala in the discipline.
Shikshabekov, the Dagestan native, moved to Rostov-on-Don in 2005 to take part in the intensive tryout process to become a member of the elite team Russia Legion fight club. ” They have an annual contest,” said Shikshabekov ” I won all my testing fights so they accepted me.” In November of 2008, as a member of the team, he made his international debut against Holland in the M-1 Challenge. Shikshabekov took over duties as the teams welterweight in the 2009 season, a season that would see the fighter continue his unbeaten professional career on his way to the 2009 M-1 Challenge championship.
Discovering this martial arts over eight years ago Shikshabekov says he’s hard-pressed to name a favorite fighter, however ” there are a lot of good fighters, I watch them and try to adopt techniques and methods of fighting. There are some good ground fighters, good strikers, I watch the fights to find the techniques that are appropriate for me.”
When asked if watching his former M-1 challenge alumni move forward to fight for DREAM, UFC, the WEC as well as STRIKEFORCE serves as a source of inspiration, the young fighter responds ” Of course. You have to develop yourself, battle your way to the top. It is an honor to participate on a card together with Fedor Emelianenko.”
STRIKEFORCE and M-1 GLOBAL present Fedor vs. Werdum will take place at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. on Saturday, June 26, live on SHOWTIME® at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). The night of fights features the world’s No. 1 heavyweight and pound-for-pound Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko (31-1), will make his eagerly awaited return to the cage to face two-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion and top-ranked superstar Fabricio “Vai Cavalo” Werdum (13-4). Tickets are on sale Now.
