Anatoly Tokov

Photo credit to Bellator MMA/ Lucas Noonan

Anatoly Tokov on fighting alongside brother Vladimir at Bellator 269

Anatoly Tokov takes on Sharaf Davlatmurodov in a middleweight main card matchup at Bellator 269. This looming bout goes down at VTB Arena in Moscow, Russia, and the broadcast is set to transpire on Showtime.

Tokov is riding a five-fight winning streak under the Bellator MMA banner and is undefeated with the promotion. The Russian warrior returns after two years of inactivity and looks to quickly reintegrate himself into the contender conversation at 185 pounds.

The ACB (now ACA), M1, Fight Nights Global, and Rizin veteran has been competing for close to twelve years now. Anatoly Tokov has 16 (T)KOs and  7 submissions across 29 victories overall and it will be intriguing to see how he returns after this stretch of competitive dormancy.

The Team Fedor product competes on an event headlined by the team’s titular titan who fights Timothy Johnson at the top of the marquee attraction.

Also earlier on in the card is Vladimir Tokov, a 5-1 mixed martial arts fighter looking to rebound from his first pro defeat. A split decision defeat to Chris Gonzalez at Bellator 244 in August 2020.

I spoke with Anatoly Tokov, through a translator, at the Bellator 269 virtual media day. The excerpt from our interaction is below.

Anatoly Tokov

How Anatoly feels competing on the same card as his brother, Vladimir at Bellator 269 during the Tokov takeover

Anatoly Tokov said, “He says that it is both hard but also very supportive. It’s hard because usually, his brother fights before him. It’s a bit difficult for him to see. To know the results, to see who is winning, who is not. So it’s kind of rough on that end. But at the same time, it feels good being together. Being able to assist and support each other in those tough times.”

What are your thoughts on the Tokov brothers dynamic and Team Fedor presence at Bellator 269 overall?

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Dylan Bowker
I've been enamored with combat sports for as long as I can remember. I've hosted MMA talk shows Lights Out and Pure Fight Radio with featured guests like Jens Pulver, Roy Nelson, Miesha Tate, Mark Coleman, and more. I've been an MMA broadcaster for XFFC as well as BTC and have done play by play commentary on live pay per view on GFL as well as FITE TV. I've provided written, audio, and video content covering some of the biggest MMA promotions like Rumble in the Cage, Unified MMA, and King of the Cage. I've worked as a sports entertainment personality for over five years and given play-by-play or featured promotions of KSW, ONE Championship, TKO, and Invicta FC. My work can be found in the USA Today Sports affiliate MMA Torch, Cageside Press, MMA Sucka, and Liberty Multimedia.