Timofey Nastyukhin may be a fearsome competitor in the cage, but outside it, he’s a totally different individual.

As is often the case when you converse with martial artists, you find the extreme nature of their competition often contrasts with a laid-back, calm attitude outside the cage.

He’s not one to trash talk opponents before his contests, because he says there just isn’t any merit in it.

“The cage always shows who is the better man, so what is the point of being a bully before the match,” the 28-year-old told ONE Championship.

“I do not want attention for the sake of attention. I was taught from young to not seek cheap popularity.”

Kazakhstan-born Nastyukhin was born just before the fall of the USSR, a monumental moment for the region, and one that produced divisions among the people of the area, including Nastyukhin’s family.

“My mother is Kazakh, and my father is Russian,” the lightweight begins.

“When the USSR collapsed and Kazakhstan went its own way, Russians often were made feel like they outstayed their welcome.”

Nastyukhin’s father left Kazakhstan for Novokuznetsk in Siberia, where he found a job and set up home for his wife, daughter, and Timofey to join him.

“I was about 5 years old when we moved,” Nastyukhin recalled.

“Those were tough times. My dad had to borrow money often. There was no stability, and the prices were rising all the time.”

Despite a tough start and a lack of money, Nastyukhin and his family soon settled and Timofey started to find himself at home at school.

“I made friends quickly, and I was an outgoing, happy boy,” he said

“We did not have money, but my family was very loving. It was a healthy environment. I looked at the world through rose-tinted glasses, believing that no one can harm us, and only good things lie ahead in life.

“I am from an ordinary family, really. Many people think that after perestroika, everyone in Russia went crazy, but it is not true. Family values and education has always been important in my country. My sister and I were taught the importance of simple truths: to love your family, to always put them first, and to help each other.”

His family had little in the way of income, but managed to set money aside to allow Nastyukhin to pursue his martial arts dream.

“I can see now how they had to limit their own spending to make sure I could attend the gym,” he admitted.

“During my first competitions, I was such a loser. But my parents never scolded me. They would always say, ‘Train hard and everything will come together.’”

While at the pankration school, he met someone who has remained in his life as a trainer, mentor, and practically a family member.

“I have been going to the same coach, Ivan Ryabtsev, for 20 years now. He really is like a second father to me,” he said.

Ryabtsev helped guide Russian to two FILA Pankration championships, and was also in Nastyukhin’s corner during his early career in the cage.

While that relationship continued to grow, another ended abruptly when his father passed away last year.

“I am glad he had a chance to see me winning and succeeding, and doing what he taught me — putting my family first, and being a strong and reliable man,” said Nastyukhin, clearly happy to have been able to make his father proud before his passing.

Now Nastyukhin returns to the cage looking to continue building his legacy inside the cage. He has a family of his own now, with a wife and newborn daughter, and he still has his mother, whom he’s determined to provide for and make proud.

He’ll face Singapore’s Amir Khan in a battle of lightweight contenders in Yangon, Myanmar, on 23 February, looking to score another big win and move one step closer to a shot at the world title.

While the carrot of a potential title shot serves as motivation, it pales in comparison when compared to the love he has for his family, who inspire him to deliver his best every time he steps into the cage.

“What makes my job easier is that they are really proud of me. It keeps me motivated,” he explained.

“Seeing me with my family gives my mother a sense of accomplishment. I myself need their love, support, and approval to keep competing and achieving.

“There are two things I want to do most right now: win this match, and get back home to see my daughter, who was born two days after I had left for my training camp in Thailand. It will be my first present to her.”