The evolution of Dmitry Gerasimov

Fighting can be an escape for many and everyone has a different story. For Dmitry “Dima” Gerasimov (4-3) who was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia before moving to Minnesota it was something he didn’t expect to be doing professionally. Friday July 10 he takes the next step as he competes at Valley Fight Night 3 in Studio City, California.

Dima Gerasimov fights Friday July 10 at Valley Fight Night 3.  C/O Gabriela Ochoa

A background in Tae Kwon Do as a youth was his introduction to the martial arts. It was something he enjoyed and competing at the state and national level fed his competitive nature.

Life in Minnesota had run its course and after seeing friends fall to trouble and not seeing any promise if he stayed there, Gerasimov’s parents decided that maybe he should move to California to join his sister who was living there.

“I was getting into a lot of trouble the last few years of high school and the standard drinking a lot. Got in a lot of fights growing up. Sounds cliché for lots of fighters but some of my friends ended up in jail,” said Gerasimov.

A move to California presented an opportunity at a fresh start. Here he was able to focus on education and eventually ended up working in the gaming industry. The run included a long stay at Electronic Arts where he spent six plus years. As an avid gamer this was a dream come true as he was now living in Southern California and was working at one of the biggest gaming companies in the world.

“It was fun but I was being lazy by just working and partying. I got tired of working in a cubicle and now I get to live my dream and real passion as a fighter,” said Gerasimov.

Now working at Systems Training Center where he trains for his fights but also helps others in the gym reach their goals from conditioning to fighting shape for his teammates. He finds that this is the life he was meant to live. As he reflects, memories arise of his first day in the gym and how long before he knew he wanted to fight.

Dima Gerasimov training with John Robles. C/O Gabriela Ochoa

“I hadn’t been training and was just being lazy till one year for my birthday, my fiancé got me a membership to a MMA gym. The first day I showed up I knew I wanted to fight. I just didn’t want to learn or train, I wanted to fight and compete,” said Gerasimov.

That gift would change his life and soon after he was training in the building that would eventually become the home of Systems Training Center. What he didn’t know at the time was that he would be one of the original fighters that helped build the fight team.

“When I was 27 I finally made the decision to have my first amateur fight. A few days before my fight I got laid-off from EA Sports. I had been working there for seven years and I was actually up for my sabbatical and had a long career there. That led to the pieces finally falling into place,” said Gerasimov.

With the change happening at work, he now had the time to dedicate himself to training and make the transition to fighting. There was a year where he would find himself out of work but the time was spent wisely working on his craft.

“Off the bat I just wanted to try one fight but now I know you can’t just try one fight because you’ll get hurt. I did so well in my first amateur fight. I didn’t finish the guy but I came so close,” said Gerasimov.

That first fight was what he needed to get him going and after training hard and getting the win, it fueled his passion to continue in the sport. A good run in the amateurs got him ranked in amongst the best in the state. Now was the time to go professional and the reformation of the gym would help his transition to making this possible.

The gym originally was opened as an extension of the original AMS in the West LA area. It was set to be AMMS South Bay. After changes in trainers and staff the gym would eventually be taken over and the new owner was Marcus Kowal. This was the beginning of Systems Training Center. With an influx of fighters and coaches migrating from PKG the foundation was set to the team that is there now.

“I’m one of the original members of this gym. Me, Terrion Ware and Isaac Velasco have all been together for a long time. We all started together from the old gym along with some other fighters. Those guys were doing well and inspired me to take the next step and fight,” said Gerasimov.

The change in fighters at the gym helped him take it to another level. Gaining a new coach was also big to making the team complete.

“Fate took hold and the guys from PKG, Coach Ian and a bunch of fighters like John Robles, Eric Rios, Rob Fernandes, Takashi Munoz, James Acosta and Reshan Sabaratnam they all came over. They were looking for a gym because of disputes they had so we ended up merging and we had this brand new fight team. That really fired me up and everything was perfect,” said Gerasimov.

Now entering his eighth professional fight he is in a place where he wants to be. No longer just a striker, he has become a complete fighter and this is something that his teammates like John Robles see in him.

“Every one of these guys that were originally there like Dima have taken their skillset to a whole new level. It’s amazing to see the progression of the gym and certain individuals. We all push each other and we all have our own style that contributes. There is no way you can’t develop working with these guys,” said Robles.

The hard work is done and now he is ready to display his skills and bring back a win for himself and his team. A fighter who visualizes the fight before it happens he understands that while there is a team to get him ready, the reality is that fighting is a lonely sport.

“I don’t come to lose, I come to win. I’ve run that fight through my head a thousand times and I’ve won it. This is going to be a good fight and fans can expect a finish. This is going to be an exciting fight, I know it. I am going to come out on top and you have to be ready to go out there alone,” said Gerasimov.

For more information on tickets you can contact Systems Training Center or BashBoxing.com