▁T ash ir , ▁Armen ian ▁Soviet ▁Social ist ▁Republic ▁( now ▁Armen ia ). ▁ ▁M ixed ▁mart ial ▁arts ▁career ▁A ▁former ▁kick box er ▁and ▁Gre co - R oman ▁wrest ler , ▁S ulo ev ▁was ▁rec ru ited ▁by ▁the ▁Russian ▁team ▁Red ▁Dev il ▁Sport ▁Club ▁and ▁made ▁his ▁debut ▁in ▁national ▁promotion ▁M - 1 ▁Global ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁losing ▁to ▁And rei ▁Sem en ov ▁by ▁arm bar . ▁S ulo ev ▁later ▁a ven ged ▁his ▁defeat ▁by ▁ch oking ▁out ▁Sem en ov ▁in ▁Brazil ▁for ▁World ▁V ale ▁T udo ▁Championship , ▁winning ▁the ▁W VC ▁ 1 1 ▁Middle weight ▁Tournament ▁in ▁the ▁process . ▁ ▁Ult imate ▁Fight ing ▁Championship ▁At ▁U FC ▁ 3 5 ▁S ulo ev ▁came ▁to ▁fight ▁in ▁the ▁premier ▁M MA ▁organization ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁where ▁he ▁faced ▁top ▁light ▁heavy weight ▁Ch uck ▁L idd ell . ▁The ▁fight ▁went ▁to ▁decision , ▁where ▁L idd ell ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁win ▁on ▁points . ▁The ▁fight ▁was ▁inten se ▁and ▁S ulo ev ▁demonstrated ▁his ▁level ▁of ▁skill ▁with ▁kick box ing ▁as ▁he ▁avoided ▁the ▁tra dem ark ▁power ▁sh ots ▁of ▁the ▁fe ared ▁American ▁f ighter . ▁Despite ▁the ▁loss ▁Am ar ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁only ▁seven ▁f igh ters ▁to ▁take ▁L idd ell ▁to ▁decision . ▁The ▁U FC ▁invited ▁him ▁back ▁at ▁U FC ▁ 3 7 ▁to ▁fight ▁Phil ▁Bar oni