When she’s not getting inked up or playing with her assortment of knives, Anastasia Yankova (3-0 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) is choking Brazilian jiu-jitsu legends like Royce Gracie. The UFC and Bellator veteran had high praise for the 25-year-old Russian fighter:
She’s stronger than she looks. Man, she’s very strong. When she holds the position, gets a grip of the wrist, you can feel she’s holding on to you, said Gracie during a light sparring session with Yankova.
An accomplished Muay Thai veteran and current Bellator MMA fighter, Yankova has become the talk of the town in women’s MMA. While fighters like Ronda Rousey, Paige VanZant, Holly Holm and Miesha Tate have solidified themselves as the most recognizable women in the sport, Yankova is quickly becoming a hot topic in the media and on MMA forums.
Her star started to shine brighter after her first fight in Bellator, which took place at Bellator 152 in Turin, Italy. She won that fight in impressive fashion, finishing Anjela Pink in the first round via armbar. The victory, along with the type of submission used sparked debates online about how she would fare against another woman who knows a thing or two about armbars – Ronda Rousey.
Though Yankova currently fights as a flyweight for the UFC’s competition, it’s safe to say that a matchup between the former bantamweight champion and Yankova would do big business, given Rousey’s drawing power.
It doesn’t hurt that both women are also attractive, athletic blondes who fight in a sport that attracts a demographic made up primarily of males between the ages 18-34.
Regardless of whether or not she fights for the UFC in the future, it appears that Yankova is improving upon her MMA skill set, particularly on the ground, as evidenced in the video below.
Check out the short clip provided to see Anastasia Yankova roll with one of the pioneers of modern-day MMA, Royce Gracie.
(Video courtesy of Bellator MMA)
H/T ENTimports
Ray Higginbotham is a professional writer and avid fan of MMA. For more content like this, check out his Facebook page or follow him on Twitter @_MMARAY.
