MMA Fighter Caught on Video Killing Champion Powerlifter in Savage Street Fight
They were arguing over whose sport was better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPZTps2yz0o
Andrey Drachev, a world champion powerlifter who had begun competing as a bodybuilder, was killed by a Russian MMA fighter in the streets of Khabarovsk earlier this week. The short but brutal beatdown was caught on tape, which you can view above.
Russian authorities have identified the little guy with the big kick as Anar Alakh Ziranov and as far as we can tell, he’s still on the lam. According to CrimeRussia.com, Ziranov is a local MMA fighter whose social media accounts suggest he has a “crushing blow” and is a fan of Mike Tyson.
The site adds that Drachev, the bodybuilder, was provoked into this confrontation. After initially trying to avoid the fight, he suggest it they settle it in the ring.
But Ziranov was having none of it and soon they were throwing down outside of a cafe. It’s not clear why the fight began, but witness suggested it was a dispute over which is is more manly—getting ripped like Drachev, or dedicating your life to fighting, like Ziranov.
Ziranov’s relatives, meanwhile, have reportedly told the media that the fight started after the super-ripped bodybuilder called him a “piglet.”
A public memorial was held for Drachev in Khabarovsk this week. More than 100 athletes from the local powerlifting community showed up and signed a petition demanding fair punishment for his killer.
But before any punishment can be handed down, the authorities have to first find the guy. In an attempt to enlist help from everyday Russians, local police have put an $8,500 bounty on Ziranov’s head. If he’s caught, he faces as much as 20 years in prison, according to one report.
In the immediate aftermath of the murder, police reportedly pulled out all the stops to find the 25-year-old Ziranov. Police shut down hubs of transportation he could have used to slip town and put out an all points bulletin.
Despite those measures, he appears to have escaped—for now.