Deividas Taurosevicius’s MMA career has been many things. Steady, however, isn’t one of them. With a new fight for a new promotion on the horizon, the 33-year-old Lithuanian native is poised to remind the MMA world why he was such a hot prospect just a few years ago.
Deividas (pronouced DEH-vi-duss) turned pro in 2002, lost his debut fight, and didn’t fight again until 2005.
He won the Reality Fighting lightweight belt in 2006, but lost it in his first title defense against some kid from Brick, NJ, with two first names: Frankie Edgar.
In 2007, he was still a relatively unknown entity outside of Atlantic City (after beating tough fighters like Anthony Morrison, Kevin Roddy, and Dan Lauzon) when he joined up with the IFL’s NY Pitbulls, coached by Renzo Gracie. “Russian Dave” exploded onto the IFL stage with a win over the favored Savant Young and then after his thrilling armbar win over Bart Palaszewski, who had been smashing every IFL lightweight not named Chris Horodecki. Deividas was on fire.
Those flames, however, were extinguished in his very next fight by IFL World Grand Prix lightweight tournament winner Ryan “The Lion” Schultz. The IFL would close up shop shortly thereafter, and the promising Lithuanian prospect was without a promotion.
After a 15-month layoff, Deividas was set to make his debut with Affliction on August 1, 2009, against Canadian striker Mark Hominick on a card that also featured Fedor Emelianenko, Josh Barnett, Gegard Mousasi, and Babalu Sobral. Deividas would be making his debut at 145 lbs. and was excited about how improved his boxing had become.
“All that work, and at the last second - boom. All because of the one fighter,” Deividas told me immediately after Josh Barnett’s failed drug test pretty much torpedoed the entire promotion. “Of course I’m mad, but what are you going to do? Everybody’s on the same page; all the fighters are waiting for their paychecks... They can’t just go out like that.”
But “just like that” is exactly how Affliction went out.
The Hominick fight was picked up by Zuffa, which absorbed some of the Affliction rubble, but Hominick became Javier Vazquez, and the fight was held as part of the WEC 43 event. Deividas won by decision.
A WEC 46 win over the previously undefeated Mackens Sermerzier was followed by a decision loss two months later to LC Davis and a very close decision loss in his Bellator debut against Wilson Reis in October, 2010.
“Inside, I know I won these fights. It’s the judges who put the losses on paper,” Deividas told Long Island Fights.
It’s been nearly a year since Deividas has fought professionally, but life outside the cage has been good. He has a new house in Copaigue, family was in from Europe for three months, and he speaks like a proud parent about his school and team, Taurus MMA, and its new home at 928 Carmans Road in Massapequa (inside Xtreme gym on the second floor).
“But now all is done. I have a lot of free time to concentrate on fighting and getting back to action…I know I need a couple good wins to get back to top competition.”
Those good wins might be had for the former rugby standout – he played professionally in Moscow – in Lou Neglia’s Ring of Combat. At ROC 37 on September 9, Deividas will stand across the cage from a tough Jose Santibanez (10-3).
And it should come as little surprise that the road to this fight has not exactly been a seamless one for Deividas.
“They switched three opponents already; this is going to be four. I hope he’ll be OK, because I’m coming to fight on September 9.”
Lighting Round
(Deividas plays coy about his broken English, but he seemed to do just fine in the ever daunting round of lighting…)
What’s my zodias sign? Virgo
No. Taurus. See what I did there?
Favorite rugby team: New Zealand (all blacks)
If you could have one super power, which would it be? To stop all the earthquakes and upcoming hurricanes
Toughest fight of your career: My first fight. That’s when I understood the professional level of fighting.
The perfect Lithuanian meal: Cepelinai
I don't even know what that is.
Your most dangerous strike: Hook
The most exciting fighter to watch: Fedor on his best days
The best part about living on Long Island: It's “Strong Island.” Everybody thinks they’re tough (laughter). For real, it’s the best place to live on the water and enjoy boat and beaches -- but not hurricanes.
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