Cyril Abidi

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Cyril Abidi
Born (1976-02-25) February 25, 1976 (age 49)
Marseille, France
Other namesThe Marseille Bad Boy
Height1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight104.7 kg (231 lb; 16.49 st)
Division Heavyweight
Style Kickboxing
TeamBrizon Gym
Years active1998–2007
Kickboxing record
Total41
Wins25
By knockout17
Losses16
By knockout10
Mixed martial arts record
Total2
Wins0
Losses2
By submission2
Other information
Website http://www.Cyrilabidi.com
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Cyril Abidi (born February 25, 1976), nicknamed "The Marseille Bad Boy", is a French former heavyweight kickboxer and mixed martial artist. A professional competitor from 1998 until 2007, he is perhaps best remembered for his upset first-round knockout win over Peter Aerts, which he followed up with another win in the rematch a month later. [1] Abidi also defeated K-1 standouts Ray Sefo and Petar Majstorovic.

Contents

Background

Abidi grew up in the north quartiers of Marseille (Consolat), in a modest Tunisian family. When he was 6, his mother took him to judo classes to keep him off the streets. He practiced judo for four years until he was inspired by Bruce Lee, his childhood idol, and started taking karate lessons. [2]

When he was 18, he discovered Thaiboxing and became French champion at the age of 20. [3]

Career

A year later, he entered K-1, fighting against Petar Majstorovic in Zurich, Switzerland, and winning by a unanimous decision. Later that year, he faced Dutch fighter Peter Aerts on July 7. A heavy underdog, Abidi knocked out Aerts with a right cross at 2:13 of the first round. A month later, the two squared off again at the 2000 Heavyweight Grand Prix in Yokohama, with Abidi winning again in the first round after Aerts' corner threw in the towel. After causing another upset with a win over Ray Sefo later that night, Abidi faced Francisco Filho for the heavyweight final. Abidi lost after his corner threw in the towel in the second round. Later on December 10 of that same year, Abidi and Aerts faced off for a third time at the 2000 Japan World Grand Prix, with Aerts this time winning via unanimous decision. Later that night, Abidi fought in a rematch with Ray Sefo, their last bout being the semifinal of the Yokohama Grand Prix. Sefo avenged his defeat via first-round TKO.

After starting off 2001 with a decision win, Abidi was upset by South African Andrew Thomson, losing via TKO just 1:15 into the first round. He fought just once more in 2001, winning via fourth-round TKO. After a KO win in May 2002, it was announced Abidi would face then PRIDE Middleweight contender and future UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Quinton Jackson. Some pundits did not expect Jackson's wild brawling style to be adaptable to K-1 competition against a well-rounded striker such as Abidi. However, Abidi lost via upset after being knocked out just under two minutes into the first round. After losing to Bob Sapp in another first-round defeat, Abidi faced Jackson in a rematch at the Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye event in 2002. Abidi lost again, this time via decision after three rounds.

In his short foray into mixed martial arts, Abidi lost to Nigerian comedian Bobby Ologun in his first fight in MMA. Abidi was a last minute replacement for Mike Bernardo who was injured. The events surrounding the outcome raised suspicion of a fixed fight and Abidi seemed to lend credence to this in a post match interview. [4]

I didn't have enough time to prepare for this fight, but I think I did do a good job for my first time. It was really good that my opponent is not so strong…..If he was a really strong fighter, I would have had had a hell of a time. Why I am smiling a lot? Even though I lost this fight, I don't have any feelings that I really lost a realistic fight. Maybe this was as expected.

His fight against fellow Frenchman and rival Jérôme Le Banner at K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Paris, on May 27, 2005, is considered[ by whom? ] to be one of the greatest battles in K-1 history. Abidi lost by a technical knockout. After losing the fight, Abidi stirred controversy by throwing three strikes at Le Banner, who deflected them but both fighters would have to be restrained by their corners and the officials ringside.

Titles

Kickboxing record

25 Wins (17 (T)KOs, 8 Decisions), 16 losses (10 (T)KOs, 7 Decisions)
DateResultOpponentEventMethodRoundTime
April 3, 2007Loss Flag of Japan.svg Mitsugu Noda K-1 World GP 2007 in Yokohama Decision33:00
March 5, 2006Loss Flag of Japan.svg Hiraku Hori K-1 World Grand Prix 2006 in Auckland, New ZealandTKO (Corner Stoppage)23:00
October 15, 2005Win Flag of France.svg Stephane ReveillonTK2 World MAX 4ever Edition, ParisKO (Punch)10:11
May 27, 2005Loss Flag of France.svg Jérôme Le Banner K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Paris, FranceTKO (Referee stoppage)52:53
December 4, 2004Loss Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Gary Goodridge K-1 World Grand Prix 2004, JapanKO (Punch)13:00
September 25, 2004Loss Flag of Japan.svg Musashi K-1 World Grand Prix 2004 Final Elimination, JapanDecision (Unanimous)33:00
February 4, 2004Win Flag of Morocco.svg Hocine BoutrekTK2 Kickboxing, Marseilles, FranceDecision52:00
March 27, 2004Win Flag of Japan.svg Hiraku Hori K-1 World Grand Prix 2004 in Saitama, JapanTKO (Referee stoppage)32:58
December 16, 2003Loss Flag of the Netherlands.svg Remy Bonjasky K-1 World Grand Prix 2003, JapanKO (Flying knee strike)11:46
December 16, 2003Win Flag of South Africa.svg Francois Botha K-1 World Grand Prix 2003, JapanDecision33:00
November 10, 2003Win Flag of South Africa.svg Francois Botha K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 Final Elimination, JapanDisqualification1
July 13, 2003Loss Flag of the Netherlands.svg Ernesto Hoost K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 in Fukuoka, JapanDecision (Unanimous)23:00
June 14, 2003Loss Flag of Belarus.svg Alexey Ignashov K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 in Paris, FranceTKO (Corner stoppage)30:20
June 14, 2003Win Flag of Morocco.svg Chalid Arrab K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 in Paris, FranceKO (Punch)21:32
June 14, 2003Win Flag of Morocco.svg Aziz Khattou K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 in Paris, FranceDecision (Unanimous)33:00
May 17, 2003Win Flag of France.svg Daniel LentieTK2 Kickboxing, Marseilles, FranceKO3
June 4, 2003Win Flag of Japan.svg Shingo Koyasu K-1 Beast 2003, JapanDecision (Unanimous)53:00
December 31, 2002Loss Flag of the United States.svg Quinton Jackson Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2002, JapanDecision33:00
September 22, 2002Loss Flag of the United States.svg Bob Sapp K-1 Andy Spirits Japan GP 2002 Final, JapanTKO (Referee Stoppage)11:17
July 14, 2002Loss Flag of the United States.svg Quinton Jackson K-1 World Grand Prix 2002 in Fukuoka, JapanKO (Punch)11:55
May 22, 2002Win Flag of England.svg Nick Murray K-1 World Grand Prix 2002 in Paris, FranceKO12:05
August 10, 2001Win Flag of Japan.svg Tatsufumi Tomihira K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 in Fukuoka, JapanTKO (Referee stoppage)42:30
July 20, 2001Loss Flag of South Africa.svg Andrew Thomson K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 in Nagoya, JapanTKO (Referee stoppage)11:15
March 17, 2001Win Flag of Japan.svg Great Kusatsu K-1 Gladiators 2001, JapanDecision (Split)53:00
October 12, 2000Loss Flag of New Zealand.svg Ray Sefo K-1 World Grand Prix 2000, JapanTKO (Referee stoppage)11:45
October 12, 2000Loss Flag of the Netherlands.svg Peter Aerts K-1 World Grand Prix 2000, JapanDecision (Unanimous)33:00
October 11, 2000Win Flag of Belarus.svg Andrei ZuravkovLa Nuit des Champions, Marseille, France
August 20, 2000Loss Flag of Brazil.svg Francisco Filho K-1 World Grand Prix 2000 in Yokohama, JapanTKO (Corner stoppage)20:25
August 20, 2000Win Flag of New Zealand.svg Ray Sefo K-1 World Grand Prix 2000 in Yokohama, JapanTKO (Corner stoppage)23:00
August 20, 2000Win Flag of the Netherlands.svg Peter Aerts K-1 World Grand Prix 2000 in Yokohama, JapanTKO (Corner stoppage)12:42
July 7, 2000Win Flag of the Netherlands.svg Peter Aerts K-1 Spirits 2000, JapanKO (Punch)12:13
March 19, 2000Win Flag of Japan.svg Nobu Hayashi K-1 Burning 2000, JapanTKO21:52
November 20, 1999Win Flag of the United States.svg Jean-Claude Leuyer Kickboxing Gala, Marseilles, FranceKO
July 18, 1999Loss Flag of Germany.svg Stefan Leko K-1 Dream '99 Semi Finals, Nagoya, JapanDecision (Unanimous)33:00
July 18, 1999Win Flag of England.svg Kirkwood Walker K-1 Dream '99 Quarter Finals, Nagoya, JapanKO (Low kicks)10:33
May 6, 1999Win Flag of Croatia.svg Petar Majstorovic K-1 Fight Night '99, Zurich, SwitzerlandDecision (Unanimous)53:00
February 27, 1999Win Flag of Croatia.svg Nash UrladzicLa Nuit des Champions, Marseilles, FranceDecision53:00
00/11/1998Win Flag of France.svg Gardois de TholomeseLa Nuit des Champions, Marseilles, FranceKO4
00/09/1998Win Flag of Russia.svg Alexandre ChvarevLa Nuit des Champions, Marseilles, FranceKO1

Mixed martial arts record

Res.RecordOpponentMethodEventDateRoundTimeLocationNotes
Loss0–2 Bobby Ologun Decision (unanimous) K-1 Premium Dynamite!!, JapanDecember 31, 200433:00 Osaka, Japan
Loss0–1 Don Frye Submission (rear-naked choke)Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001, JapanDecember 31, 200120:33 Saitama, Japan

[5]

See also

References

  1. "Achievements". Site Officiel de Cyril Abidi. Retrieved October 12, 2007.
  2. "History". Site Officiel de Cyril Abidi. Retrieved October 12, 2007.
  3. "Madman from Marseilles". Kakutougi.info. Archived from the original on October 30, 2007. Retrieved October 12, 2007.
  4. "K-1 Dynamite – Ironlife Magazine Issue 17". Archived from the original on September 23, 2009. Retrieved December 30, 2008.
  5. Sherdog.com. "Cyril Abidi MMA Stats, Pictures, News, Videos, Biography - Sherdog.com". Sherdog. Retrieved December 20, 2018.