Armenia national squad member Razmik Papikyan speaks on combining wrestling, MMA (PHOTOS)

By Lusine Shahbazyan

Razmik Papikyan (61 kg), a member of the Armenian national freestyle wrestling team and two-time champion of Armenia, told NEWS.am Sport that he is striving to have a sports career and to become an athlete that the whole world will talk about and recognize.

The 21-year-old wrestler is currently preparing—as part of the national squad—for the European U23 Championship, which will take place from Monday to Sunday in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia.

Razmik Papikyan made his debut in the adult competition in the international arena in the 2020 individual world cup, where he placed fifth place. The U23 European Championship will be one of the most important competitions in this young wrestler's career, as the Skopje mat will decide Razmik Papikyan's future plans.

Also, the freestyle wrestler will make his debut in mixed martial arts (MMA) on June 26. Razmik Papikyan's dream is to become a famous fighter in MMA in addition to winning medals at European and world freestyle wrestling championships.

Razmik, before we talk about your debut at MMA, let's start with wrestling. At what age, on whose advice, and how did you come to wrestling?

I started wrestling at the age of 7 with Coach Andranik Haroyan. I chose this sport on the advice of my parents. My father, uncle were wrestlers, they were the first to bring me to the wrestling hall. After the death of my first coach, I started training, and now my personal trainer is Petros Mkrtchyan.

I have twice become the champion of Armenia in the youth wrestling, once—the third prize-winner. I could not become the champion of Armenia in the youth fight; I lost once, was disqualified for a year, and once took second place. I won a silver medal at the European U18 Championship in 2016. In 2019, I also won Armenia’s U23 championship. In the same year I also won Armenia’s adult championship.

I repeated the same success in 2020. My first international experience in adult wrestling was the 2020 world cup individual tournament, where I took fifth place; I lost the fight for the bronze medal. I am currently preparing for the European U23 Championship as a member of the [national] team.

You were very close to a medal at the world cup. Did lack of experience in adult wrestling prevent you from winning the bronze-medal bout?

My desire to win a medal was very strong, maybe that's why I lost. Now, for the first time in adults, I will try my strength at the U23 European Championship. Here, too, I have a great desire to win a medal. I will do my best to return with the title of champion.

Are there any goals to move to Olympic weight?

Not yet. I still want to achieve good results in my main weight class; it depends on my results this year. If all goes well for me, I will move to the Olympics weight class in 2022 to compete for a “ticket” to the 2024 Paris Olympics.

You have already stated several times that you want to compete in mixed martial arts. Why?

I want to fight; there is interest. I want to try, see if it will work or not. I have a great desire to try my strength in another sport, too; in a different situation and in a different fight.

In addition, the recognition in MMA is different; the [MMA] fighters gain a great reputation and the opportunity to earn big money. I am more drawn towards gaining great recognition.

When did you want to compete in mixed martial arts?

After the world cup tournament; more precisely, in early 2021. Seeing my friends fighting in the octagon, I wanted to try my strength, too. To advance in MMA, to have great achievements is more visible, whereas it is a little less in wrestling.

That is, in your opinion, becoming a world, European, Olympic champion in wrestling does not give as much glory as achieving success in mixed martial arts?

Definitely it gives, and my goals in professional sports are to become an Olympic, world, and European champion. Along with all that, I also want to be a champion in mixed martial arts, as I am confident in my strength. Wrestling is the basis of my goals, and thanks to it I will be able to achieve my dreams. The only problem is that, comparatively, not everyone knows the world, European wrestling champions, whereas MMA fighters are known all over the world; they are known, recognized.

I am striving to have a sports career and to become an athlete that the whole world will talk about and recognize. In my opinion, achieving this goal in MMA is more realistic than in wrestling.

Will you combine wrestling and mixed martial arts?

I will combine as much as I can until I have achieved some high achievements in wrestling, so that I can leave professional sports as a champion. When the time comes, I will choose between these two sports and choose one.

When and in what tournament will you mark your [MMA] debut?

An evening of mixed martial arts will be held in Yerevan on June 26, where I have been given the opportunity to have my first fight. It will be an evening organized by a Russian company. I have not yet decided once and for all whether to participate or not. I have set myself a task: as a result of the European U23 Championship, I will decide whether to participate or still wait, prepare for a long time, and then have my first fight.

I have been boxing, grappling for a long time [now]. But since we were in training camps, I was not doing anything other than wrestling, as at this moment my important goal is to return from Skopje with a medal.

I want to fight. I have an insatiable thirst in me to fight, battle when I go to the wrestling mat, too. I have been like that since I was a child; I was never afraid of and ran away from fights. I want to continue my fight in the octagon and gain great recognition as a fighter. 

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