Michalis "Iron Mike" Zambidis (Greek: Μιχάλης Ζαμπίδης; born 15 July 1980) is a professional Greekkickboxer and martial artist. He is an 18-time World Champion, including former World version W5, SUPERKOMBAT and in a series of K-1 Tournaments and Grand Prix Champion. He mostly competed in the K-1 MAX where he scored mostly knockouts.[5]
Biography and career
Mike Zambidis started training in martial arts before he was nine years old with his brother Spiros Zambidis and his best friend Lazaros Filipas. He has trained in Shotokan, Boxing, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Wrestling, sanshou and Pankration.[6] He started competing professionally in 2000, scoring a string of victories over notable opponents. He was given the nickname Turkofagos (Turkeater) after his 11th win over Turkish fighters due to the fact that he never lost to a Turk. He has been technically knocked out twice himself early in his career due to cuts, but after 2002, his next technical knock-out defeat came in 2008 against Andy Souwer in an extra round.[citation needed]
From 2000 till 2002, Zambidis defeated notable kickboxer Jenk Behic twice, Gürkan Özkan twice who outweighed Mike by over 50 lbs in two rare open-weight fights,[7] Kara Murat twice, Baris Nezif, Wanlop Sosathopan, Bakari Tounkara, Matteo Sciacca and Petr Polak. In 2002, he knocked out the strong and experienced[8][9]Dutch-Moroccan Hassan Kassrioui. On 26 November 2002 he won the K-1 Oceania MAX 2002 title after defeating John Wayne Parr in the final.[citation needed]
In 2003, promoter Tarik Solak arranged Zambidis' debut fight in Japan against 2002 World K-1 Max Champion Albert Kraus, whom he knocked out in the 2nd round. In April 2005, Zambidis knocked out the popular Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto with a right hook, in front of thousands of the Japanese kickboxer's fans. Zambidis' weakness seems to be receiving low kicks, as was seen in his 2006 defeat by Japanese Yoshihiro Sato, who, despite getting hurt by Zambidis' punches, managed to land many kicks and knees which racked up enough points to "secure a unanimous decision."[10] Zambidis is a 4 time national champion in kickboxing as well as holding a large number of international titles.
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In addition to his many outstanding fights, the K-1 World MAX 2010 Final 16 match on October the 3rd, 2010 against Chahid Oulad El Hadj was notable as being one of the most exciting of his career. In addition, as stated by ring side commentators "Sugar" Ray Sefo and Michael Schiavello, this contest was one by which a standard was set for other K-1 fights. However, Zambidis did not make it to the final as he lost to Giorgio Petrosyan by unanimous decision. Zambidis knocked down Petrosyan in the fight, but it was controversially ruled a slip by the referee.
Zambidis fought a rubber match (both having won 1 match apiece) with Australian Muay Thai champion John Wayne Parr in May 2011. He lost by TKO (three knockdowns) in round 1.
He defeated Reece McAllister by unanimous decision in the quarter-finals of the K-1 World MAX 2012 World Championship Tournament Final in Athens, Greece on 15 December 2012. He then lost by the eventual champion Murthel Groenhart in the semis. The much larger Groenhart won the fight with knees and punches, forcing his corner to stop the fight at the end of round two.[11][12]
He was expected to compete in a four-man tournament in Russia on 25 May 2013, facing Dzhabar Askerov in the semi-finals.[13] However, he was replaced by Enriko Gogokhia.[14]
Zambidis beat Harun Kina by unanimous decision for the vacant SUPERKOMBAT Middleweight Championship at SUPERKOMBAT VIP Edition in Bucharest, Romania on 31 August 2013.[15][16]
He was scheduled to fight Elam Ngor at the K-1 World MAX 2013 World Championship Tournament Final 16 in Majorca, Spain on 14 September 2013.[17][18] However, he withdrew from the tournament and was replaced by Ismat Aghazade.[19]
He lost to Xu Yan by unanimous decision, suffering controversial knockdowns in rounds one and two as he received below blows in both occasions, at Hero Legends in Jinan, China on 3 January 2014.[20]
Zambidis and Batu Khasikov had a rematch fight and challenge the WKN Heavyweight Kickboxing World Championship at Fight Night: Battle of Moscow XV event in Moscow, Russia on 28 March 2014.[21] The Russian Batu Khasikov won the battle again for the second time.
He won his first defence of his SUPERKOMBAT middleweight title against Harun Kina on 17 January at Iron Challenge 2015 from Athens, Greece.[22]
In May 2015 he announced he would retire after his final fight in June against Steve Moxon, in his home country of Greece. This happened on 5 June 2015.
In October 2017, he participated in the reality game Nomads.
In March 2019, returned to active action after 3.5 years off abstention for a professional boxing match vs Venezuelan Antonio Gomez. Although Zambidis sustained an injury during the 1st round that forced him to fight with only one hand, he was victorious after a gruelling fight.
Titles
2019 BREAKOUT. Champion
2015 World W.K.U. Champion
2015 W.I.P.U. "King of the Ring" Oriental Rules Super Welterweight World Champion −71 kg (6th title defence)
2015 SUPERKOMBAT Middleweight Championship -71 kg/156.5lb (2nd title defence)
