World Championship Competitor - Sambo - BJJ Black Belt And Teacher Vladislav Koulikov

FOUNDER OF KOULIKOV GRAPPLING ACADEMY (KGA), VLAD IS A WORLD
CHAMPION COMPETITOR; PLACING THREE TIMES IN THE USA OPEN AND
REPRESENTED TEAM USA IN COMBAT SAMBO IN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN
2008. PLACED AND WON MULTIPLE NAGA AND GRAPPLERS QUEST
TOURNAMENTS AND WAS AWARDED THE MOST TECHNICAL FIGHTER IN THE
VERY FIRST GRAPPLERS QUEST COMPETITION WINNING ALL HIS MATCHES BY
SUBMISSIONS.


VLAD’S LATEST ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDE WINNING COMBAT WRESTLING WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIP IN HONJO, JAPAN 2017 AS WELL AS SHUAI JIAO NATIONAL
CHAMPION 2018.


It all started when…


As you might have guessed, I’m Russian. Some kids get into
martial arts because their parents want them to train for various
reasons—being bullied, improving focus, and gaining discipline to
name a few. That was not the case with me. My older cousin and my
dad were my inspiration.


My father was my role model during my childhood. He wrestled,
boxed and did power promotion things such as ripping chains,
bending coins, and wrapping nails around his fingers. In the
southern resort towns, there were several of kiosks where passers
could test their strength. I remember one particular grip
strength indicator. My dad always squeezed it hard enough to
cause the arrow to go beyond the highest number. I wanted to be
just like him.


 


In 1996, I immigrated to the United States. Upon arrival to the
U.S., I couldn’t find a SAMBO gym. I started to go to a grappling
club in the area where I was exposed to Jiu Jitsu. I fell in love
immediately. It made sense to me and wasn’t a much of a departure
from SAMBO. They are both grappling arts, after all.


Both SAMBO and Jiu Jitsu have their strengths. And both have
plenty of restrictions. There are fewer restrictions in no-gi sub
grappling, and I’ve always preferred it.


My SAMBO background has enhanced my Jiu Jitsu performance. I have
learned to implement and adapt my SAMBO skills to the Jiu Jitsu
rules. Just like in chemistry, you get a reaction if you mix two
agents. It took some time to get rid of “bad” habits from SAMBO
such as turtling once in a danger of being pinned. Also, it took
some time to be comfortable to be on my back. I would willingly
play off my back in practice but would try my hardest not to end
up facing the ceiling in competition.


Here in the United States, I placed three times in the USA Open
and represented team USA in combat SAMBO in the World
Championship in 2008. I also placed and won multiple NAGA and
Grapplers Quest tournaments and was awarded the most technical
fighter in the very first Grapplers Quest competition winning all
my matches by submissions.


I am fluent in Russian and English. I enjoy reading, music, and
philosophy.


You could find more of Vlad:


https://sambofusion.com/


https://bjjfanatics.com/blogs/fighters/vlad-koulikov


https://www.instagram.com/sambo_fusion/?hl=en


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