“I Hope To Make Them Proud” – Dragomir Petrov Determined To Keep Grand Prix Title In Bulgaria At SENSHI 31: Gladiators

Two-time SENSHI European Champion Dragomir Petrov has become a household name in his homeland of Bulgaria, and at SENSHI 31: Gladiators, he embarks on a journey to once again lift gold in front of his people.

The striking star enters SENSHI’s one-night lightweight Grand Prix in the open-air Ancient Theatre in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, this Saturday, 30th May, where he meets Hirokatsu Miyagi in the opening round.

This time last year, Petrov returned to the Roman ruins to defend the SENSHI European Championship that he attained in 2023 and 2024. However, things didn’t pan out in his favour when he met Croatia’s Andrei Kedves as he was stopped in the third frame after suffering two knockdowns.

This time around, though, he promises he’s left no stone unturned. It doesn’t matter who comes next after Miyagi. Petrov is ready for them all.

“My preparation for a professional fight follows the same routine as every other time, but now I have placed greater emphasis on conditioning. My coach and I always follow a strict training plan, and we are ready to make adjustments whenever necessary,” he said.
“The first opponent is already known, but after that I do not know who I will face next. That does not concern me, because I am prepared to fight anyone on the card.”
It takes a certain amount of intestinal fortitude to last in a one-night tournament. UFC legend Don Frye famously described the reward for winning a fight under the format is to come back out twenty minutes later and fight again.

In order to outlast your foes, you have to have something different about you. Petrov is no stranger to the format throughout his career and throughout his nine appearances in SENSHI. He believes what makes him so special in the ring is due to what goes on behind closed doors, and he’ll reap what he’s sown this Saturday

“I believe I am someone who gives absolutely everything in preparation and never holds back in training, and the audience will see that,” he said.
“The arena is the place where every fighter can show what he is capable of. I also rely on the experience I have gained both in SENSHI and throughout my professional career, with many fights behind me.”

Not only does Petrov pack a litany of fighting experience, but growing a faithful fanbase in his home of Bulgaria allows him to soar to the highest heights. The familiarity of your surroundings compared to entering enemy territory can do a lot for a fighter’s mentality.

So when he steps in the ring under the open-sky as the gladiatorial gods watch over the Ancient Theatre in Plovdiv, Petrov vows to keep SENSHI’s belt in the bold colours of the white, green and red.

“I am extremely happy that this tournament will take place in front of my home crowd in Bulgaria,” he said.
“I hope to make them proud, win all three fights, and keep the Grand Prix title in our country.”