Georgi Karakhanyan Quick Q&A: Guillotine Chokes, Insane Nicknames and Soccer

Tony Reid – The guillotine choke is one of your signature finishes that you have had a ton of success with over the course of your career. Can you explain your fondness for that particular choke?

Georgi Karakhanyan – “If my opponent keeps it standing it’s a gift for me and if he shoots in, its another gift for me. It doesn’t matter if you tuck your head. It doesn’t matter if you try to grapple me. I have a million ways to set up my guillotine where, at first, you think you are safe but then the next thing you know you are sleeping. I’m not desperate looking for that guillotine. I am really looking to put a beat down on my opponent. I am not scared to be on my back because Jiu Jitsu is a chess match. My Jiu Jitsu from my back is really nasty. It’s not like certain Jiu Jitsu black belts and wrestlers that get into MMA that just lay on you. I had Lance Palmer in my guard and he couldn’t do shit to me.”

TR – Your nickname is pretty straight and to the point. Who started calling you “Insane” and how did that name become the one that stuck for you?

GK – “It started with my mother. I had some crazy issues when I would get mad. I would hit my head on the wall if my parents didn’t buy me a certain toy. My mom used to call me that. When I got into MMA it was just that thing where I would give zero fucks. When I came back from my ACL surgery. I didn’t have a good camp. I fought anyway. That shows who I am. I don’t care. I am willing to do anything.”

TR – You almost passed on a career in MMA if your love of soccer and the game of soccer would have panned out differently. Can you tell us about your love of the game of futbol?

GK – “Any European kid that lived in Europe was a soccer fan. I remember I would stay up until six in the morning to watch the 1994 World Cup. I watched Italy versus Brazil. It was a life changing moment for me. It put something in my head. I wanted to turn pro. When I was a kid I didn’t have that many friends because I would always have a soccer ball with me. I played a lot. I played for a number of high level teams. I played for the national team. I tried out for a team in Mexico. I made the team it but I had to finish high school. I went back and got my high school credits and went to college and started working. My goal was to always play for Barcelona or one of the big teams.”

Tony Reid

In July of 2008 Tony Reid launched an MMA inspired clothing line that he named Reid Fight Wear. He saw a need in the MMA clothing market for a more classic, clean and timeless design and less of the dated styles seen then. In the process of major life changes, Tony cashed out his 401(k), emptied his bank account and put his heart and soul into building the brand. In August 2009 Tony began writing for TapouT and MMA Worldwide Magazines. There he created Rattling the Cage, an MMA specific news site and home for all of his work. In May of 2012 Reid began writing for Ultimate MMA Magazine, launching an MMA Legends and MMA Officials Series. Also in May of the same year he started appearing regularly on ESPN 92.3 WVSL as the MMA Insider. In early August of 2012 Reid was named General Manager of UFC Fighter Tim Boetsch’s Barbarian Combat Sports in Sunbury, PA. By December 2012 Reid started contributing to Fighters Only Magazine. "The World's Leading MMA and Lifestyle Magazine" is sold in over 30 countries around the world and has the largest reach of any international magazine of its type. In May of 2013 Reid became a monthly segment host on Sirius XM Radio. Appearing the first Thursday of every month on TapouT Radio on SiriusXM (Sirius 92 XM 208) in a segment he created called "On Blast!" where he puts people in the MMA world on notice. In June of 2013 Reid began writing for the UK based MMA Uncaged Magazine. In August of 2013, Reid launched "Rattling the Cage with Tony Reid" a talk radio show he hosted on ESPN 92.3 WVSL "The Valley's Sports Leader". The show aired over 100 episodes and featured some of the biggest and brightest stars in the world of combat sports. It was one of the most successful shows in the station's history. In May of 2016 Reid became a feature writer for FloCombat. In September of the same year Reid began writing for ONE Championship, Asia’s largest global sports media property in history. Reid is happy to now join the team at MyMMANews as a contributor.

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