Nikolai Zouev

{{Short description|Russian mixed martial arts fighter (1958–2022)}}

{{Infobox martial artist

| name = Nikolai Zouev

| other_names =

| image =Nikolai Zouev.jpeg

| image_size =

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| birth_name =

| birth_date = 20 May 1958

| birth_place = Sverdlovsk, Russian SFSR, USSR

| death_date = 21 May 2022 (aged 64)

| death_place = Luxor, Egypt

| death_cause =

| residence =

| nationality = Russian

| height =

| weight = {{convert|235|lb|kg st|abbr=on}}

| weight_class = Heavyweight

| reach =

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| years_active = 1995–1999

| mma_kowin =

| mma_subwin =

| mma_decwin =

| mma_dqwin =

| mma_otherwin = 1

| mma_koloss =

| mma_subloss = 2

| mma_decloss =

| mma_dqloss =

| mma_otherloss = 2

| mma_draw =

| mma_nc =

| url =

| sherdog = 6544

| footnotes =

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}}

Nikolai Nikolayevich Zouev ({{langx|ru|Николай Николаевич Зуев}}; 20 May 1958 – 21 May 2022)[https://sambo.ru/press/news/2022/9278/ Скончался Николай Зуев] {{in lang|ru}} was a Russian{{Cite web |title= Nikolai Zouev |publisher= Sherdog |url= http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Nikolai-Zouev-6544 |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20141101032620/http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Nikolai-Zouev-6544 |archivedate= 1 November 2014 |url-status= live }} mixed martial artist. He competed in the Heavyweight{{Cite web |title= Nikolai Zouev |publisher= mixedmartialarts.com |url= http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/f/9512DA47DEA3B4FE/Nikolai-Zouev/ |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20141101025408/http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/f/9512DA47DEA3B4FE/Nikolai-Zouev/ |archivedate= 1 November 2014 |url-status= live }} division.

Career

He had a background in sambo and freestyle wrestling, starting a rivalry with Volk Han.{{cite web |url=http://kakutei.cside.com/kakutei.site/kakutou/fighter/zouev.htm |title=ニコライ・ズーエフ |editor = Kakutei |date=|access-date=18 February 2017 |language=Japanese |trans-title=Nikolay · Zooev}}

He debuted on 13 July 1993 at Fighting Network Rings "RINGS BATTLE DIMENSION '93" against Todor Todorov.{{cite web|url=http://quebrada.net/videos/RINGS1.html|title=RINGS 1991-1996 DVD VHS|publisher=Quebrada|access-date=18 February 2017}}

He spent most of his career in Fighting Network Rings in a variety of fighting codes including professional wrestling, Sambo and Mixed Martial Arts. He had multiple matches against his rival Volk Han and Mitsuya Nagai.

He stopped fighting for RINGS on 21 February 1999 in a loss against Magomedkhan Gamzatkhanov as the promotion was shifting towards only doing MMA matches.

He became a coach after his retirement, helping to train fighters such as Sergei Kharitonov.

Zouev died on May 21, 2022, a day after his 64th birthday, from years of heart disease.{{cite web |url=https://vimbuzz.com/nikolai-zouev-cause-of-death-height-age-wife-children-net-worth/|title=Nikolai Zouev Cause Of Death, Height Age, Wife, Children, Net Worth |website=Vim Buzz}}{{better source needed|date=April 2024}}