Cyril Abidi

Cyril "The Marseille Bad Boy" Abidi (born February 25, 1976) is a French former super 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, Francisco Filho, and Petar Majstorovic.

Cyril Abidi
Born (1976-02-25) February 25, 1976
Marseille, France
Other namesThe Marseille Bad Boy
NationalityFrance
Height1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight104.7 kg (231 lb; 16.49 st)
DivisionSuper Heavyweight (Kickboxing)
Heavyweight (MMA)
TeamBrizon Gym
Years active(1998–2007)
Kickboxing record
Total41
Wins25
By knockout17
Losses16
By knockout10
Mixed martial arts record
Total2
Wins0
Losses2
By submission2
Other information
Websitehttp://www.Cyrilabidi.com
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Background

Abidi grew up in the north quartiers of Marseille (Consolat), in a modest Moroccan 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 legendary Dutch fighter Peter Aerts on July 7. A heavy underdog, Abidi surprised many by knocking 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 mild 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 May 2002, it was announced Abidi would face then PRIDE Middleweight contender and future UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Quinton Jackson. Many 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 quick 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 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
  • 2003 K-1 World GP 3rd place
  • 2003 K-1 World Grand Prix in Paris runner up
  • 2000 K-1 World GP 2rd place
  • 2000 K-1 World GP in Yokohama runner up
  • 2000 Thai Boxing World champion
  • 2000 French Heavyweight Amateur Boxing champion
  • 1996 French Kickboxing champion

Kickboxing record

25 Wins (17 (T)KOs, 8 Decisions), 16 losses (10 (T)KOs, 6 Decisions)
Date Result Opponent Event Method Round Time
April 3, 2007 Loss Mitsugu Noda K-1 World GP 2007 in Yokohama Decision 3 3:00
March 5, 2006 Loss Hiraku Hori K-1 World Grand Prix 2006 in Auckland, New Zealand TKO (Corner Stoppage) 2 3:00
October 15, 2005 Win Stephane Reveillon TK2 World MAX 4ever Edition, Paris KO (Punch) 1 0:11
May 27, 2005 Loss Jérôme Le Banner K-1 World Grand Prix 2005 in Paris, France TKO (Referee stoppage) 5 2:53
April 12, 2004 Loss Gary Goodridge K-1 World Grand Prix 2004, Japan KO (Punch) 1 3:00
September 25, 2004 Loss Musashi K-1 World Grand Prix 2004 Final Elimination, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00
February 4, 2004 Win Hocine Boutrek TK2 Kickboxing, Marseilles, France Decision 5 2:00
March 27, 2004 Win Hiraku Hori K-1 World Grand Prix 2004 in Saitama, Japan TKO (Referee stoppage) 3 2:58
December 16, 2003 Loss Remy Bonjasky K-1 World Grand Prix 2003, Japan KO (Flying knee strike) 1 1:46
December 16, 2003 Win Francois Botha K-1 World Grand Prix 2003, Japan Decision 3 3:00
November 10, 2003 Win Francois Botha K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 Final Elimination, Japan Disqualification 1
July 13, 2003 Loss Ernesto Hoost K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 in Fukuoka, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 2 3:00
June 14, 2003 Loss Alexey Ignashov K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 in Paris, France TKO (Corner stoppage) 3 0:20
June 14, 2003 Win Chalid Arrab K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 in Paris, France KO (Punch) 2 1:32
June 14, 2003 Win Aziz Khattou K-1 World Grand Prix 2003 in Paris, France Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00
May 17, 2003 Win Daniel Lentie TK2 Kickboxing, Marseilles, France KO 3
June 4, 2003 Win Shingo Koyasu K-1 Beast 2003, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 5 3:00
December 31, 2002 Loss Quinton Jackson Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2002, Japan Decision 3 3:00
September 22, 2002 Loss Bob Sapp K-1 Andy Spirits Japan GP 2002 Final, Japan TKO (Referee Stoppage) 1 1:17
July 14, 2002 Loss Quinton Jackson K-1 World Grand Prix 2002 in Fukuoka, Japan KO (Punch) 1 1:55
May 22, 2002 Win Nick Murray K-1 World Grand Prix 2002 in Paris, France KO 1 2:05
August 10, 2001 Win Tatsufumi Tomihira K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 in Fukuoka, Japan TKO (Referee stoppage) 4 2:30
July 20, 2001 Loss Andrew Thomson K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 in Nagoya, Japan TKO (Referee stoppage) 1 1:15
March 17, 2001 Win Great Kusatsu K-1 Gladiators 2001, Japan Decision (Split) 5 3:00
October 12, 2000 Loss Ray Sefo K-1 World Grand Prix 2000, Japan TKO (Referee stoppage) 1 1:45
October 12, 2000 Loss Peter Aerts K-1 World Grand Prix 2000, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00
October 11, 2000 Win Andrei Zuravkov La Nuit des Champions, Marseille, France
August 20, 2000 Loss Francisco Filho K-1 World Grand Prix 2000 in Yokohama, Japan TKO (Corner stoppage) 2 0:25
August 20, 2000 Win Ray Sefo K-1 World Grand Prix 2000 in Yokohama, Japan TKO (Corner stoppage) 2 3:00
August 20, 2000 Win Peter Aerts K-1 World Grand Prix 2000 in Yokohama, Japan TKO (Corner stoppage) 1 2:42
July 7, 2000 Win Peter Aerts K-1 Spirits 2000, Japan KO (Punch) 1 2:13
March 19, 2000 Win Nobu Hayashi K-1 Burning 2000, Japan TKO 2 1:52
November 20, 1999 Win Jean-Claude Leuyer Kickboxing Gala, Marseilles, France KO
July 18, 1999 Loss Stefan Leko K-1 Dream '99 Semi Finals, Nagoya, Japan Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00
July 18, 1999 Win Kirkwood Walker K-1 Dream '99 Quarter Finals, Nagoya, Japan KO (Low kicks) 1 0:33
May 6, 1999 Win Petar Majstorovic K-1 Fight Night '99, Zurich, Switzerland Decision (Unanimous) 5 3:00
February 27, 1999 Win Nash Urladzic La Nuit des Champions, Marseilles, France Decision 5 3:00
00/11/1998 Win Gardois de Tholomese La Nuit des Champions, Marseilles, France KO 4
00/09/1998 Win Alexandre Chvarev La Nuit des Champions, Marseilles, France KO 1

Mixed martial arts record
Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Loss 0–2 Bobby Ologun Decision (unanimous) K-1 Premium Dynamite!!, Japan December 31, 2004 3 3:00 Osaka, Japan
Loss 0–1 Don Frye Submission (rear-naked choke) Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2001, Japan December 31, 2001 2 0:33 Saitama, Japan

[5]

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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
  5. Sherdog.com. "Cyril Abidi MMA Stats, Pictures, News, Videos, Biography - Sherdog.com". Sherdog. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
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