Jeffrey Epstein’s personal bodyguard was once a UFC fighter. Igor Zinoviev, a Russian-born sambo and judo practitioner, spent years at Epstein’s side before the financier’s world collapsed under criminal charges. His story sits at the hub of early MMA history and one of the most infamous scandals inmodernmemory.

Zinoviev grew up in St. Petersburg, Russia, training in judo, sambo, and combat sambo before serving two years in the Russian military. He emigrated to the United States in 1991, arriving in New York with almost no English. He found work at a Russian bathhouse and connected with matchmaker John Perretti, who was building a combat sports organization called Extreme Fighting. Zinoviev became the promotion’s middleweight champion at its inaugural 1995 event, defeating Brazilianjiu-jitsustandout Mario Sperry.

He knocked out Enson Inoue atVale TudoJapan in 1996 and compiled a professional record of 4-1-2. His final fight came at UFC 16 in March 1998, whereFrank Shamrockslammed him unconscious in 22 seconds, breaking his collarbone and ending his career.​

Frank shattered Zinoviev's collarbone with this slam and ended his fighting career. Igor went on to become the bodyguard/driver/personal trainer of some guy named Jeff.https://t.co/JZaOL8Dnzm

By the early 2000s, Zinoviev had moved into private security. He worked asEpstein‘s bodyguard, driver, and personal trainer for roughly five years. Epsteincase filesshow him on 19 documented flights between 2001 and 2010, traveling alongside Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and other associates. He was listed in Epstein’s black book with two phone numbers. Multiple victims identified him as household staff who witnessed the flow of young women to and from the properties.

In a 2019 interview withNew York Magazinefollowing Epstein’s death, Zinoviev said he believed Epstein did not act alone.​

“Somebody helped him to do that. That’s going a little too deep.”​

In an earlier exchange from 2015, he was more direct about Epstein’s reach.​

“He has so much money he can pay it off. That guy could try to sue me and manipulate the situation with his money. That’s the American way.”​

On the MMA History Podcast in 2024, Zinoviev addressed the Epstein questions head-on.​

Source: LowKickMMA.com