Full Name:
Nikita Laptsevich
Age:
21
Where were you born:
Minsk, Belarus
Where do you live:
Gold Coast, Australia
Which gym do you train out of:
Fight Club Jiu Jitsu / Black Dragon Kai
Who are your coaches:
Gavin Hain, Daniel Lima, Geordie Lavers-Mcbain
What belts or rankings do you currently posses as a martial artist:
Purple belt in BJJ
What sports or activities did you participate in growing up:
A bit of everything, however I didn’t particularly feel a passion towards most sports. Riding BMX at the skatepark was something I did pretty much everyday as a teen and still do sometimes.
When did you begin to take MMA seriously as a hobby and then as a potential profession:
I trained karate for 2 years starting at the age of 7, then proceeded to not parttake in any martial arts until I turned 15 when I started training mma as a profession since day one. Since my first day I wanted to compete in everything from bjj to wrestling to kickboxing, but the main goal was always mma.
Favourite aspect of training or favourite session of the week, and why:
I can’t choose, I love to submit someone as much as I like to take them down and as much as I like to throw strikes at them. My training doesn’t always focus on what’s best for mma, I will often train bjj in a sport bjj style, playing on bottom and using techniques not recommended in mma. Same with muay thai, I will have a narrow stance and think like a thai fighter. I love the arts and want to explore them individual as well as mixing them for mma.
What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter:
My grappling, however I have technical striking which I haven’t shown yet in the cage, hopefully I get to be more confident with it soon.
How would you describe your fighting style:
I want to be as well-rounded as possible, I want to take someone down if I want to and I want to kick someone in the head if I want to. I want to be a fighter like Demetrious Johnson, GSP, Alex Volkanovski, Jon Jones etc. I don’t want to have a strong part of my game, I want to be able to mix the martial arts better than anyone.
What is your favourite sport and why:
MMA, there no other sport in the world where anything can happen at anytime. How unpredictable it is is what makes it exciting.
Who is your favourite athlete:
Max Holloway, Chingiz Allazov, Giorgio Petrosyan, Demetrious Johnson.
Who is your favourite combat sports athlete:
Max Holloway, Chingiz Allazov, Giorgio Petrosyan, Demetrious Johnson.
What are your immediate and long term goals:
Improve my confidence with every fight and perform at my best. Eventually I will be a champion in the UFC and ONE fc.
When fans see your name on a fight poster, what should they expect:
I always aim for a finish, I never go into a fight with the mentality to go to decision.
How do you see your upcoming fight playing out:
I want to beat him in the stand up and also be the first take him down and keep him down, he’s good at getting back up but he’s never faced a grappler like me. I also intend to strike more confidently than my last fight and won’t complain if I can get a ko.
A final message to any friends, family and supporters:
Thank you for supporting me and thanks to my teammate and coaches for being patient with me and for all your efforts. I love ya’ll.
Where will any fans or supporters be able to find you socials:
Instagram: @nikitalaptsevichsucks