Said Sowma

Photo credit to Bellator MMA/ Lucas Noonan

Said Sowma talks Vitaly Minakov Bellator 269 co-main event clash

Said Sowma clashes with Vitaly Minakov at Bellator 269 on Saturday, October 23rd. It all emanates from VTB Arena in Moscow, Russia, and broadcasts on Showtime.

This next outing will be Sowma’s tenth pro mixed martial arts bout and serves as the co-main event of the evening.

The former Titan FC world heavyweight champion looks to notch back-to-back wins and begin carving out a path towards another world title belt.

Said Sowma is currently number eight in his division as per the latest rankings rollout. He rebounded from a decision loss to Tyrell Fortune by stopping Ronny Markes in sixty-nine seconds at Bellator 262 in July.

Said Sowma will now test skills against a former Bellator MMA heavyweight world champion in Vitaly Minakov who has only tasted defeat a single time as a pro-MMA fighter.

I spoke with the burgeoning, ranked heavyweight contender at the Bellator 269 virtual media day ahead of the event. The excerpt from our interaction is below.

Said Sowma

Sowma earning his brown belt relatively recently and how that might inform the application of his high-level wrestling within MMA

Said Sowma said, “I don’t know, man. Because I actually wrestled with Vitaly (Minakov) before. His sambo was amazing. He is not easy to take down. So if it goes to the ground, I would still feel comfortable. But pretty tough to get down there with a guy like Vitaly (Minakov).”

How beating a former Bellator MMA champion here will inform his further advancement within Bellator’s heavyweight hierarchy

Said Sowma stated, “I believe so. I should come in close to the top. Or at least have a shot at someone at the top. To get to the belt at one point.”

Where do you place the victor of Said Sowma and Vitaly Minakov in the next Bellator MMA heavyweight rankings?

author avatar
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.