NuWu Sessions: Sasha Palatnikov, MMA fighter
Coming back at ya with a new episode of NuWu Sessions! Today we are joined by Sasha Palatnikov, an MMA fighter with an impressive record, and an international background in all types of sports - from professional rugby, college football, to various MMA matches and the UFC. Moving to Vegas about two and a half years ago, Palatnikov has fully immersed himself in the local cannabis scene, signing a partnership with City Trees, becoming one of the first MMA fighters to have a sponsorship with a cannabis company, opening up doors for many other athletes. Our special guest and Sessions hosts are served a VIP table package, comprising of a selection of mouth watering THC infused canna-cocktails, including a Pina Colada, the Liquid Marijuana, and the crowd favorite, the Strawberry Mango Cannarita. Flower selections include the pungent, body heavy Sour Maui (that 23mg of myrcene, though!), cultivated by the crew at Circle S Farms.
Born in Hong Kong, Palatnikov describes the unique upbringing the city offered him, describing the quick access to nearly anything you could imagine - beaches, hiking trails, shopping markets, and more. The introduction to mixed martial arts began at the age of 5 years old and the rest is history. Eventually, Sasha made his way over to the states, attending the University of Buffalo. With an extensive history of semi-professional rugby and MMA fights under his belt, the athlete decided to play college football, scoring scholarships from several universities due to his impressive highlight reel tape.
We talk with the athlete about his extensive history in sports - starting in mixed martial arts at the age of 5, as well as rugby at the age of 6. Despite being the Hong Kong Heavyweight Amateur Boxing Champion in 2012, Palatnikov could not represent Hong Kong at the Beijing Olympics due to the fact that he’s not ethnically Chinese, even though he was born and raised there. Brushing off the Olympic snub, Palatnikov traveled to the states to pursue a bachelor’s degree in communications, studying at both the University of Buffalo and Hudson Valley Community College. This is where he truly began to pursue dreams of college football, sending his highlight reel tape to a multitude of universities, earning scholarships in many prestigious college football programs. But, despite his best efforts, several roadblocks prevented Palatnikov from pursuing his college dream further. Instead, he finished out his degree and pursued training in MMA further, training with several prestigious instructors throughout the US before participating in several international competitions. Fast forward to 2019, when Palatnikov decided to pack up and move to Vegas, signing with UFC, whose headquarters, as well as main training camp, is based in the valley.
Palatnikov and our hosts discuss the future for the shining athlete, including MMA competitions lined up in the next few months.
