Yaar, Shlemenko! Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko, the absolute legend! You know, that dude his fights, pure Bollywood action scenes but real life. Like those old Sunny Deol movies where the villain gets a spinning backfist and just… poof! Gone! That’s Shlemenko, man. For like 17 years he’s been putting on a show, dozens of knockouts that make your to busy screaming, chai goes cold. Especially now, with him making comebacks everyone’s talking about him again. So, let’s just chill, have some garam chai, and talk about his craziest finishes, okay Forget the fancy analysts, this is just us, at the tapri.
Remember way back 2005 Pankration championship. Shlemenko barely twenty but already a “Master of Sports” in army hand-to-hand combat, fifteen pro fights! He meets Sergiy Akinin, a world champion in combat sambo, boss. Akinin tries a takedown, Shlemenko wraps him up in a guillotine. But Akinin, smart guy, he squirms out and starts hitting him from top, even lands an illegal headbutt, the cheater! Referee stands ’em up thank god. And then, BOOM! Shlemenko launches a flying knee, right into Akinin’s jaw. Akinin drops like a chopped tree, bhai! Gone! Just like that! Pura samosa feel, man. Shlemenko went on to win two more fights that night and took the tournament. Akinin Never beat him again. Shlemenko, even then, was a different breed.
Okay, so everyone knows Shlemenko’s spinning backfist, rite The ultimate Bollywood move. But sometimes, he’d set it up or use other things to make it even nastier. Like that Bodog Fight in 2007 against Scott Henz. Shlemenko just walks him down, usual stuff. He throws a spinning punch, Henz survives. Then a flying knee, Henz still hanging on. You think, “Arre, what’s happening?” But Shlemenko, he’s just chilling waiting. Threw a fake jab to drop Henz’s hands, then, whoosh, a lightning-fast spinning backfist. Right on the jaw! That my friends, that became his calling card. That’s when I first saw him actually. My friend had an old DVD. I was like, “Wait, what just happened?” It was like watching someone hit a perfect six in gully cricket, but instead of the ball, it’s a fist, and instead of a boundary, it’s a knockout!
The 2011 Sambo-70 tournament, Russia vs. Brazil. Shlemenko against Marcos Santana. Santana lanky dude long arms. Shlemenko spins his backfist early, Santana dodges. Then they clinch, Santana throws knees, nothing much. Referee breaks it. Shlemenko backs up, Santana throws a lazy jab, and Shlemenko slides, then a left overhand, right to the jaw! Santana collapses like a deck of cards. Boss, you know how sometimes you’re waiting for a local train, and it feels like it’s never gonna come, then BAM! it’s there and your in Shlemenko’s punches are like that. So sudden.
And you know, back in 2012, I broke my wrist, playing gully cricket, trying to hit a six like Sachin, ended up hitting the ground harder. So, I’m stuck at home for months, bored outta my mind. That’s when I really started binging old MMA DVDs, mostly Shlemenko fights. My dad was always like, “Why are you watching these violent things, beta Study!” But for me, it was like therapy, watchin’ Shlemenko just dismantle people. That’s how I became a hardcore fan, watching all them old Russian an’ Canadian promotion fights, especially Bodog.
Bellator 88, 2013, for the vacant middleweight belt against Maiquel Falcao. Falcao scary dude, 31 win, only 4 losses. First round, Falcao comes out like a raging bull, pushing Shlemenko. Shlemenko takes sum shots, loses the round. But second round, he turns it up! He starts chopping Falcao down, exchanging blows, and Shlemenko always comes out on top. He backs Falcao to the cage, then bam, bam, bam, a body-head combo, then a spinning backfist, and a short, straight punch to finish him! Falcao was done, asked for mercy, but Shlemenko Zero mercy. He just finished the job. That’s how you win a belt, boss. Like when you’re making biryani and you add that last pinch of garam masala, that’s the finishing touch! Pura champion!
Then Bellator 109, 2013, he was champion, defended it once. Next up, Doug Marshall, big mouth, promised to knock out Shlemenko, prove Americans are superior. Everyone expected a chop in the standing position but Shlemenko genius he is takes Marshall down! Controls him, then when Marshall tries to get up, Shlemenko starts hitting his liver! Marshall tries to fight back, but every time, thwack! Liver shot! He’s retreating, losing all the air. Shlemenko just walks him down, and one last liver shot. Marshall drops like a sack of potatoes, convulsing. You know how a blow to the liver feels, right It’s like a sudden stomach cramp after eating too much pani puri, but a hundred times worse! Marshall learned his lesson that night. Never talk smack to a Siberian Storm.
Remember that fight in his American debut, Bellator 8, against Robert McDowell McDowell strong dude take Shlemenko down, lands sum shots. Shlemenko’s on the verge of being finished! It looked like he was cooked, like a tandoori chicken ready for serving. But Shlemenko, he’s got that resilience man. He fights his way out, gets back up. Time’s almost up, everyone thinks it’s going to a decision. Then, whoosh, Shlemenko flies forward, a knee right into McDowell’s ribs! It happened so fast, the ref thought it was a low blow at first! But replay shows, pure rib shot, legal knockout! McDowell was suffering, couldn’t get up. That’s the thing about Shlemenko man. Just when you think he’s down, he pulls something crazy out of his hat. It’s like finding a 1000 INR note in your old jeans – totally unexpected but awesome!
And the Fight Festival 30, against Mig Wagner. Shlemenko was coming off a big loss in Bellator, so he was hungry. Wagner a wrestler tries to take him down. Shlemenko gets up, starts dominating. They clinch, Shlemenko pushes him away a bit, then BOOM! A straight right, right on the chin. Wagner’s lights out, instantly unconscious. Simple brutal effective. No drama, just pure power.
Then Kendall Grove, Bellator 162, 2016. Shlemenko had lost the title, was coming back from some doping drama, so he had to prove himself. He comes out aggressive, lands some heavy shots. Grove is tuff survives. Shlemenko goes for broke, misses, Grove lands some back. Crazy exchange! Next round, they’re still going at it. After a burst, things calm down a bit. And in that calm, Shlemenko steps back, lands a liver shot then a hook to the chin. But it was the liver shot that dropped Grove. Then Shlemenko just finishes him on the ground. Another liver shot special! You think it’s calm, then the storm hits. Just like Mumbai rains, sometimes it’s sunny, then BAM! downpour!
And finally, Melvin Manhoef, Bellator 133, 2015. Manhoef a veteran known for puttin’ people to sleep. Everyone knew this would be a knockout either way. They’re sizing each other up, then Shlemenko starts his signature backfist combination. Manhoef tries to duck, tries to avoid it, but he’s to late. The blow hits his forearm, but it’s so powerful, it splits his guard! Manhoef does a weird little dance and drops unconscious. That’s the power, man. Even blocking it wasn’t enough! It’s like when you try to catch a cricket ball with soft hands, but it’s hit so hard, your hands still sting!
So yeah, that’s Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko for you. Never a dull moment always a crazy finish. He’s one of a kind. Truly the OG Bollywood action hero of MMA. What a legend! More chai, bhai?