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FEDOR EMELIANENKO Evgeni Kogan Chats with Knucklepit
© Marc Wickert Special thanks to Irina Rogozhina & Alexander Taran On February 12, 2011, the man Randy Couture described as “the best pound for pound fighter in the world”, Fedor Emelianenko, suffered his second loss at the Strikeforce/M-1 Global/ Showtime World Grand Prix Heavyweight Tournament. Prior to Fedor’s two consecutive losses, Emelianenko won his first 31 fights before suffering a genuine loss. The only other top-level athlete with an MMA record similar to Fedor’s is fellow Ukrainian-born legend, Igor Vovchanchyn. Although both MMA superstars have similar winning streaks to their credit – Vovchanchyn 32 no-losses with one bout being a draw, and Emelianenko with 31 no-losses – these best-of-the-best athletes come from decisively different martial arts backgrounds. Igor was a World Kickboxing Champion before crossing to MMA, and Fedor is a former Combat Sambo World Champion. One similarity Fedor’s fans don’t want to see come to fruition with these two legends is the knowledge that Igor Vovchanchyn retired at 32 and Fedor Emelianenko, 34, was contemplating retirement after his loss to Antonio Silva. Fortunately, M-1 Global’s Vadim Finkelstein has already declared that Emelianenko does intend returning to competition. And although any fan’s main concern would be for Fedor’s health and wellbeing, when Knucklepit caught up with M-1 Global’s Director of Operations, Evgeni Kogan, we were assured that Fedor is in good health and spirits.
Evgeni, how is Fedor’s eye? “It’s fine. The orbital bone is not broken, and as far as I’m told, because Fedor is in Stary Oskol now and I’m in Holland, I’m told that he is okay.” Is it true Fedor will be competing in the Russian Combat Sambo Championships later this month? “I think it’s actually not going to happen now.” How was Fedor when you talked with him after the fight? “He was feeling okay… emotionally he was fine. I think he was really disappointed that the fight was stopped. I think he wanted to continue and he was also probably disappointed that he let himself sustain a second loss.” Did he say anything about the HUGE response he got from the crowd? “No, he didn’t. Fedor is a man of few words … He doesn’t so much comment on things like that. He really appreciates the fans’ support, and the fans’ support in New Jersey because there are so many people from the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe who live in that part of the US. It was interesting, actually, being in the arena when either Fedor or Sergei Kharitonov spoke. Before the translator had time to translate what they said into English, half of the crowd had already responded. A significant part of the crowd could understand Russian.” When all eight heavyweight contestants lined up, what did you think of the applause Fedor received? Obviously they weren’t all Russian, but he received a local hero’s welcome from everyone in the crowd. “Yeah, from the press conference and from the fans’ meeting opportunity, it was obvious people had attended to see Fedor.” In the past, and in various organizations, there have been fighters who have been caught attempting to enhance their game with drugs. Others appear to have beaten the tests. As a general policy for all MMA events, do you believe fighters should be blood tested instead of urine tested to make it harder for drug cheats to slip under the radar? “Overall, I think that ideally all professional sports – not just our sport, but all professional sports – should be regulated in the same way as amateur sports, in terms of the Olympics. Specifically for this heavyweight tournament, we came to an agreement with our partners, and we’re happy with that agreement, that whatever testing is mandate by the Athletic Commission in the state where the event takes place, we are perfectly happy with that level of testing.”
In
“Warriors of the Ultimate Fighting Championship”, after Randy Couture
lost to Ricco Rodriguez, Randy said to author Erich Krauss, “Giving up
thirty pounds to a guy who knew how to use his weight and fight pretty
well was a big difference. In later rounds, it basically started to
wear me down.” “I believe, should that rule be applied to MMA, our sport would be significantly different. We are now seeing after Fedor’s fight with Antonio Silva that the quote from Randy Couture is more and more applicable. In the heavyweight division more and more people are not only very big physically and are cutting weight to get to the upper 265-pound limit, but they’re also very technically skilled. “I believe that rather than issuing a new weigh-in rule that would change the sport, and I wouldn’t say for the better, I think it’s more a sign that 230 pounds is not going to be enough for a heavyweight much longer. And that’s just a statement on how great Fedor is, fighting at that weight in the heavyweight division where he has shown before in fighting a number of people who weighed much, much more than he did that he’s not only capable of it, but that he is capable of winning well.” Fedor’s loss wasn’t through a lack of skill: Despite being much smaller, he survived a rear choke, an arm triangle, and a knee bar. He also took the best of Antonio’s punches and yet it was Antonio who wanted to tie up and take the fight to the ground. What are your thoughts, please, Evgeni? “I thought that from the get-go that was going to be Antonio’s game plan in order to maximize his potential in the fight. He is a good level jiu jitsu blackbelt, and I have also heard the report that he was 285 on fight night, so given his recent fight with Mike Kyle when he was knocked down but Lyle was not able to finish him, and also knowing that Antonio has been knocked down previously, I think he fought a really smart fight and did exactly what he had to do.” The DVD “Absolute Fedor”, available through www.teamfedor.com, contains 18 of Fedor’s victories. Do you have any intention of making Fedor’s other victory fights available on a second DVD? “I actually can’t answer that; I’d have to speak to our people who produce the DVDs. I’m not so much involved in merchandising, plus there are all kinds of difficulties in producing compilations of fights because of copyrights with different organizations.”
Will M-1 Global continue to work in conjunction with Strikeforce? “Yes, of course, and also with our partners, Showtime. We’re happy with that relationship and we intend to continue working with both.” So if Fedor does decide to retire, M-1 Global will still work with them? “Well, with Strikeforce, that’s a little too long in the future to predict, but we still have the Fedor contract to work with – specifically with Strikeforce. Yesterday the news was finally made official that M-1, by ourselves, now has an event on Showtime. (See news below). In general, our relationship with Strikeforce still has a long way to go because we have a contract for a number of fights left; however our relationship with Showtime keeps growing stronger, with our first event being on March 25 at the Conference Center in Norfolk, Virginia, and will be live on Showtime at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). This just strengthens our relationship and I believe it will continue to get better.” Is it true Fedor intends entering politics whenever he does retire? “The fact that he is in the Duma, or I think the parliament for the region that he is in, that’s true. Whether or not he intends entering politics, I think that’s a question only he can answer. My feeling is that, following his retirement, he will be connected with politics and the Russian political structure, but I’m not sure that he will become a fully-fledged politician. My personal feeling is that he will do a lot for developing sport, but you’d have to ask him to know officially.” Only the ring physician could stop Fedor. Through his incredible bravery and humility, do you think Fedor won over even more fans after his loss to Antonio.
“That’s very hard to say… Obviously the fans love Fedor and naturally he
continues to be a rising MMA star in the US and the world over, but
whether he won over more fans from his last fight, I don’t know. I
think he showed his heart and the kind of fighter he is. I believe a
lot of people would have given up during that second round and he
revealed his true character. I know he was ready to come out for the
third round. He wanted the third round so badly. He showed his true
self to people, but whether or not he won more fans from that fight, I
couldn’t tell you.”
For more on Fedor Emelianenko: www.teamfedor.com For more on M-1 Global: www.m-1global.com
SHOWTIME SPORTS® AND M-1 GLOBAL ANNOUNCE M-1 CHALLENGE EVENT TO AIR LIVE ON SHOWTIME®
NEW YORK (Feb. 24, 2011) – SHOWTIME Sports and M-1 GLOBAL announced today an upcoming mixed martial arts (MMA) event entitled M-1 Challenge: Damkovsky vs. Figueroa featuring two M-1 GLOBAL title fights. The bouts will air LIVE on SHOWTIME on Friday, March 25 at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). Artiom Damkovsky will defend his M-1 Challenge Lightweight (155 lbs.) championship against Jose Figueroa, while Tyson Jeffries and Magomed Sultanakhmedov will battle for the vacant M-1 Challenge Middleweight (185 lbs.) belt from Constant Center in Norfolk, Va. In other action, Alexander Sarnavskiy will take on Josh Bacallao in a lightweight scrap and Vinny Magalhaes will fight an opponent to be named in a light heavyweight (205 lbs.) matchup. “I am extremely happy about the venture between M-1 Global and SHOWTIME. There is no better TV network for M-1 than SHOWTIME. And no better market to seriously compete in than the U.S.,” said Vadim Finkelchtein, co-founder of M-1 GLOBAL. “Our ability to televise quality boxing and MMA fights at the highest level has been aided tremendously by our commitment to showcasing prospects and lesser known international stars on our feeder series like ShoBox: The New Generation and STRIKEFORCE Challengers,” said Ken Hershman, Executive Vice President and General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports. “M-1 Challenge events fit perfectly into that mold and will enhance our mixed martial arts offerings even further.” Mauro Ranallo will call the action from ringside with Pat Miletich serving as analyst. The telecast will be produced by Chuck McKean and directed by Craig Farrell. The executive producer of SHOWTIME Sports is David Dinkins, Jr. For information on SHOWTIME Sports programming, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please go to the new SHOWTIME Sports website at http://www.sho.com/sports.
FEDOR EMELIANENKO Part 4 Evgeni Kogan Chats With Knucklepit
© Marc Wickert Special thanks to Jacob Schaap
It’s been four months since Fedor Emelianenko defeated Brett Rogers in the Strikeforce/M-1 Global match in Chicago and MMA fans are still talking about that classic showdown and remain eager to see more of The Last Emperor. Fortunately, M-1 Global’s Director of Operations, Evgeni Kogan, has some good news for readers. At the time of this interview, Evgeni was in Holland when he spoke to Knucklepit and reflected on Strikeforce/M-1 Global’s Fedor vs. Rogers event. “I was reasonably surprised because Rogers, I think, is originally from the suburbs of Chicago, so I was surprised by the warm response for Fedor. When he came out the crowd just went wild. At certain points they were chanting “Rogers, Rogers”, but when Fedor came out the crowd were definitely for him, and I was really surprised at how the American fans were behind a Russian from a small industrial mining town (Stary Oskol),” says Evgeni. “I thought the event itself was lots of fun and it was a good card – the four fights aired live on TV were very good, and I thought that the actual Emelianenko vs. Rogers fight was unfortunate in that some people were not giving Rogers enough credit for being a worthy enough opponent for Fedor, because Brett actually ended up being a pretty strong opponent. There were times during the fight when everyone going for Fedor was more or less concerned, so it was a good fight to see. “I personally have not subscribed to the notion that Fedor hasn’t consistently fought the best fighters. Sometimes, certainly, due to the way circumstances are in this business, he has fought people who may not have been number one or number two heavyweights, but in general, I’ve always thought that he’s fought really good competition. And Rogers showed in their fight that he was definitely worthy of being in there with Fedor. And I think in Brett’s fight against Alistair Overeem (Strikeforce, May 15, 2010) we’re going to see an interesting match there also.” There was a huge aftershock effect from the Fedor vs. Rogers fight, and Evgeni says he does find this encouraging for Fedor’s upcoming battle, expected to be held around June, 2010. “The way the bout finished, I believe it does set up for the next fight in a very interesting light, and I feel it’s a strong note to begin his run on CBS and Showtime.”
Evgeni Kogan Evgeni, did you speak to Fedor after his match with Brett Rogers? “Yes.” What were his comments on the fight? “He didn’t have much to say… In much the same way he comes across in the media – he’s very stoic, he’s very quiet – that’s pretty much what he’s like. He’s never that vocal on the particulars of a fight afterwards. He’s become more and more known and more and more famous, but as a person he hasn’t changed. I think we discussed general things – anything but the specifics of the fight.” Did Fedor request the ‘Red Corner’, or was that something you guys came up with? “To be honest, I don’t know.” The cage vs. the ring isn’t an issue for Fedor, is it? “Well, I certainly think to see him transferring to the cage doesn’t seem to make any difference; whereas some people appear to have issues going from one to the other. Fedor did not seem to find it problematic at all. And obviously the fact that Strikeforce does not allow elbows to the head whilst on the ground is in the spirit of the way Fedor fought in Japan, so changing to the Strikeforce agenda probably didn’t change the nature of the fight that much for him.” Something that really annoys a lot of fans is the one loss beside Emelianenko’s name. It’s widely acknowledged that that loss should never have been called a “loss” when Fedor was cut by an illegal blow. Would you be happy to see it listed by other websites as a no-contest? “We know the reason it was counted as a loss was because it was a tournament and one of the competitors from the fight had to continue on, so it wasn’t logical to deem it a ‘no-contest’ and then have someone from that no-contest continue onto the next round of that tournament. So, on the one hand, I can see why it was done that way, but in retrospect and given the fact that it was an illegal strike which finished the fight, I think it was wrong. In retrospect, especially in today’s environment where matches are few and far between, that fight would have been counted a no-contest one hundred times out of a hundred.” To me it does not seem fair to have a black spot on an athlete’s career when the other person broke the rules, and the stoppage came about purely through an illegal blow. “Right. If I was to make any comment on that, there’s obviously the way that people record it, and some people record it as yourself as a no-contest and others have it as a loss. I think everyone who has seen that fight knows the context in which it took place and realizes it was not a genuine loss. To a certain extent, perhaps, that’s enough.” What news do you have regarding the co-promotion of events between M-1 Global and Strikeforce in 2010, please? “Following the November show we did some reviewing of the deal with Strikeforce and we’re now almost at the end of that road, and there are a few bits and pieces to work out, but shortly we’ll be able to make announcements; however we’re not quite there yet. One of the things I’ve talked about in other interviews has been the co-branding issue. I’ve noticed that you were mentioning a ‘Strikeforce/M-1 Global’ Fedor vs. Rogers fight, which I really appreciate because it was a co-promotion between Strikeforce and M-1 Global, which wasn’t acknowledged enough, in our opinion. We’ve just been making some minor adjustments here and there, and I think we’ll be ready to reveal some news soon.”
Fedor Emelianenko – Undisputed King Of MMA Is Fabricio Werdum Fedor’s next opponent? “It has to be said that Fabricio has not been made the official opponent. The mention of his name is due to internet rumors… He is definitely one of the people being considered; however I would not say that once the fight is set up that it will definitely be Fabricio. I think for things like that, it’s best to wait for an official announcement because internet rumors are rife.” When Fedor’s next fight does become official, will it be shown live in Australia? “I, unfortunately, cannot answer that. It would be a question for somebody from Strikeforce who have the Showtime/CBS deal. I can’t answer that unfortunately because I don’t know.” Evgeni, is there anything you’d like to add? “I’m really happy to hear that Fedor has fans in Australia, I’m glad that you took the time to get in touch, and hopefully you guys get to see his fights this year. I’m looking forward to those fights as much as all the fans around the world, and hopefully those in Australia as well.”
For more on Fedor Emelianenko: www.teamfedor.com For more on M-1 Global: www.m-1global.com Knucklepit’s review of Fedor vs. Rogers: http://www.knucklepit.com/strikeforce-knucklepit%20review1.htm Knucklepit’s review of Fedor vs. Arlovski: http://www.knucklepit.com/mixed-martial-arts-affliction_day_of_reckoning.htm Knucklepit’s review of Fedor vs. Sylvia: http://www.knucklepit.com/mixed-martial-arts-affliction_banned.htm Knucklepit’s review of Fedor Emalianenko’s book: http://www.knucklepit.com/knucklepit%20book-dvd%20review-fedor.htm.
M-1 Global’s Fedor Emelianenko
FEDOR EMELIANENKO Another Scalp for The Last Emperor
©
Marc Wickert Special
thanks to M-1 Global’s Jacob Schaap On November 7, 2009, the world’s
undisputed King of MMA, Fedor Emelianenko, fought yet another incredibly
gutsy battle to retain his reputation as the greatest fighter of all
time. By defeating the highly respected Brett Rogers, Fedor took
his MMA tally to 31-0-0-1* and won a new legion of supporters both in
America and throughout the world. As Victory Belt’s Erich Krauss
said in an earlier interview of his meeting with Fedor: “Physically,
he was a lot smaller than I expected. To see him devastate some of
the world’s greatest fighters, he’s not all that big of a guy…
He’s just kind of a big guy, not really tall, not too muscle-bound.
He looks like an average huskier guy, but in training he just blows your
mind.” (http://www.knucklepit.com/mixed-martial-arts-erich_krauss.htm) Most times it’s a David-vs.-Goliath
scenario when Fedor fights, as promoters pit him against man-mountains
in order to make his fights interesting and challenging. Against
Rogers, Brett weighed in the day before their fight at 264 lbs and stood
at 6’4”, whilst Fedor came in at his usual modest weight of 232 lbs
and stood 5’11 ½”. And there’s every chance that Rogers
would have blown out to around 280 lbs on the day of the bout. However, there is a lot more than
mere size to Brett “The Grim” Rogers, who prior to the Strikeforce/M-1
Global match sported an impressive 10-0-0 MMA record, with his last
victory being over Andrei Arlovski and coming just 22 seconds into the
opening round by way of knockout.
Fedor
Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers On the night of their showdown,
Brett did take it to Fedor, cutting Emelianenko’s nose in the opening
seconds of the bout with a powerful jab, which caused the mighty Russian
to breathe through his mouth for the remainder of the fight. But
as you’d expect from the greatest fighter of all time, Fedor weathered
the storm and toughed it out in spectacular fashion to TKO Rogers at
1.48 into the second round. After their extraordinary battle, it
was originally thought Fedor could be out of action for up to six months
with his injured left hand, but surgeons later determined
Emelianenko’s left thumb had been dislocated, and he was operated on
in Los Angeles where two pins were inserted to repair the injury.
Fedor
Emelianenko was already a living legend in Japan before November 7,
where he ruled as “King of Pride MMA” for so many years and earned
the moniker “The Last Emperor”. Since his epic bout at
Strikeforce/M-1Global: Fedor vs. Rogers, Emelianenko’s name has
spread like wildfire in the US and throughout the rest of the world
through CBS’s coverage of the fight. Now The Last Emperor is
also respectfully known as “The Baddest Dude on the Planet”. And as talk of this amazing Russian
warrior travels, so does speculation of his next battle. Many fans
are predicting Alistair Overeem to be Emelianenko’s upcoming opponent
when Fedor fights again for Strikeforce/M-1 Global.
M-1
Global’s Jacob Schaap sporting Fedor T-shirt To find out more about the amazing
phenomenon of MMA, Knucklepit caught up with M-1 Global’s Jacob
Schaap, who graciously answered the following questions.
Jacob,
the attendance for Fedor vs. Rogers was listed as 11,512. Was M-1
Global happy with the response?
“Yes,
we were very happy with this number. It was a sold-out house!”
Apparently
the event was televised in 40 countries. How successful was that? “We had very good responses.
I think we were lucky with the fights: All four televised fights went
exactly as we wanted to and were spectacular.”
Fedor’s
bout with Rogers was an epic battle, and certainly one that is already
being regarded as a “classic fight”. What are your thoughts on
that match? “I think it showed
that Brett was a very dangerous and serious opponent. I think it
also showed how good Fedor is. Brett was bigger, stronger and more
experienced in a cage, but Fedor still came out winning.”
Do
you think the fight exceeded public expectations?
“Yes;
for sure. I think many people underestimated Rogers.”
Brett
Rogers can hold his head high, can’t he?
“Like
I said, he did very well. He proved to be a legitimate heavyweight.”
Fedor
said he had left Los Angeles after surgery, and he was flying to Korea
before returning to Russia. Is that North or South Korea?
What is the purpose of his visit?
“South
Korea. He will do a commercial deal in Korea.”
Will
Fedor receive a big reception in Russia?
“I
am not sure, but I can imagine he will.”
He
was the King of Pride. A lot more Americans are becoming aware of
him now, aren’t they?
“The
last time he fought in the US, only a few hundred thousand saw Fedor;
this time over 5 million people have seen Fedor on network
television.”
Fedor
Emelianenko – Just Your Average Guy
Brock
Lesnar received a mixed response from the crowd at each of his UFC
bouts. And now he’s pulled out of his next scheduled UFC
appearance. Do you think the world has never been more ready for
Fedor?
“From
my understanding, Brock was sick or injured, so no one pulled him out of
the fight. I think the US was already ready for Fedor. He is
a great and humble champion, and I think everybody likes that.”
Do
you have a date for Fedor’s next Strikeforce/M-1 Global match? “Not yet.”
There’s
a lot of speculation that Alistair Overeem will be Fedor’s next
opponent. Can you shine a light on that prospect, please, Jacob?
“Nothing
is determined yet, so no – I can't help you. I know Alistair has
some fights planned in Japan for now.”
Strikeforce
President Scott Coker said M-1 Global was responsible for much of the
international airing of Fedor’s matches on p-p-v. Will we be
seeing Fedor’s next fight in Australia? “We will be working on that, for
sure!”
Jacob,
is there anything you’d like to add?
“I
would like to thank you and all the Australian fans for their support of
M-1 Global and Fedor.”
Fight
fans can now visit Fedor Emelianenko’s new website at: teamfedor.com *Knucklepit does not
acknowledge Fedor Emelianenko’s loss to Tsuyoshi Kosaka at King of
Rings on December 22, 2000, which occurred when the fight was halted
after 17 seconds due to Fedor’s being cut by an illegal blow. Fortunately,
Emelianenko avenged the inappropriate TKO decision by defeating Kosaka
via TKO at Pride-Boshida 6 on April 3, 2005.
FEDOR EMELIANENKO Part
2 The Last Emperor Chats with Knucklepit
©Marc
Wickert Special
thanks to Jacob Schaap, Joost Raimond and M-1 Global
On
August 1, 2009 Fedor Emelianenko will be returning to the Honda Center
in Anaheim, California, to defend his WAMMA World Heavyweight Title at
Affliction M-1 Global ‘Trilogy’: Emelianenko vs. Barnett.
Although
Trilogy is a whacker-packer stacked card, all eyes that evening will be
focused on the main event as fans strive for an opportunity to witness
the greatest fighter of our time appear before them. This is the
kind of experience people share half a century later when they’re
asked by their grandkids, “Did you really see Fedor Emelianenko in
person?”
After
Fedor’s knockout of Andrei Arlovski at Affliction Banned, guest
commentator and former UFC Champion, Tito Ortiz, stated: “You have to
mention Fedor Emelianenko when you talk about the best fighters of all
time”, whilst another commentator placed Fedor’s name on an elite
pedestal with Tiger Woods, Muhammad Ali, Roger Federer and other world
sporting giants.
In
his book, Fedor: The Fighting System of the World’s Undisputed King
of MMA, Emelianenko talks about how, as a child, he looked up to the
Russian weightlifter known as the “Strongest Man on the Planet”,
Yury Vlasov. Today, people from all over the world look up to the
most successful MMA fighter ever in much the same way. And both
legends are extremely humble about their status.
Emelianenko
told Affliction, “I try to do whatever God’s will is… If He gives
me the strength to win, that’s wonderful. But I try to contain
my emotions in respect of that because at any time the tables can
turn.”
Fortunately
for MMA fans, Fedor did not pursue weightlifting as a youngster, but
rather self-defense and judo under the tutorage of Vasiliy Ivanovich
Gavrilov, before being taken under the wing of Voronov V.M., who once
said of Emelianenko, “I’m sure that as long as Fedor keeps training
on the same level and with the same determination as he does now,
he’ll continue to have no equals in Pride or anywhere else.”
Knucklepit
was fortunate to catch up with Fedor Emelianenko in Stary Oskol, Russia,
before his upcoming title bout with Josh Barnett.
Fedor,
what were you doing prior to this interview?
“I
just finished my morning walk.”
You
studied Muay Thai in Holland for your fight with Mirko Cro Cop. A
lot of fighters now find the Muay Thai in Holland to be superior to that
in Thailand. Is that why you chose to go to Holland for your Muay
Thai training? Who did you train with there?
“My
manager, Vadim Finkelstein, has very good connections in Holland and I
think for the heavyweights in kickboxing Holland is one of the best.
I trained with Johan Vos, Ernesto Hoost and Jerrel Venetiaan.”
In
your photos you appear doing chin-ups and some kettlebells. Do you
do much training with weights, such as bench press, squats, and clean
and jerk? Or do you focus more on body-weight exercises, such as
push-ups, chin-ups…?
“I
like body-weight exercises better.”
You’re
known to compete at around 230lbs, which is what you weighed at
Affliction
Banned
and Affliction Day of Reckoning.
Were
you tempted to put on extra weight for Tim Sylvia?
“No.”
You
said in 2007 that Pride was the most prestigious MMA organization in the
world. Were you impressed with the first two Afflictions?
“Yes,
definitely. I think they have great fighters on their shows.”
Competing
in a ring rather than a cage seems to cause some interruptions in
fights. Do you prefer the ring to the cage? “To be honest I don’t really care. A fight is a fight.”
I
believe you train in boxing under Aleksandr Michkov to improve your
punching power. Can you tell readers a little bit about how he
helped you, please?
“He
made me strike more accurately.”
In
your book,
Fedor:
The Fighting System of the World’s Undisputed King of MMA,
you say, “Notice that we’re both in southpaw stance.” Why
are you both in southpaw stance for that technique?
“Actually
it was best for the picture (laughs) but it works both ways.” Whilst demonstrating the ‘double-leg scoop slam’ (page 126 of your book), you tend to use a right collar tie and a left triceps grip. As a right-handed fighter, why do you find it preferable to using a left collar tie?
“As
a fighter you have to train both left and right. Both should be
good so you can use whatever you need in a fight.”
When
you choked out Tim, you used a hand-clasp grip rather than the
hand-on-the-biceps RNC grip (demonstrated on page 211 of
Fedor).
Do you normally do the choke that way, or was it because Tim has such a
long body?
“I
don’t really care. I always look for the opportunity to finish
someone. I adjust myself to my opponent. In the book I used
the most common way.”
You
finished the fight in 36 seconds. Did you plan to finish the fight
as quickly as possible to make an impressive debut in America?
“Actually
this was my second fight in the US: I fought for Pride once in the US.
But I am always trying to finish the fight– in Japan or in the USA is
the same for me.”
Do
you still stick to basic workout systems and avoid the fancy equipment,
choosing to “train three times a day, running five miles through the
woods, sprinting up the mountain…” rather than being caught up in
state-of-the-art equipment?
“Yes,
I like it the way it is. I am confident with my training regime as
it is.”
Were
you surprised by your popularity with the American crowd?
“Yes,
I was. It was the first time I fought in America and I didn’t
know I was so popular.”
What
is the music playing when you enter the arena?
“A
Russian folk song: It helps me to concentrate and feel good.”
Were
you happy with your bout against Andrei?
“Yes
I was.”
You
and Josh Barnett are good friends, but will you be fighting with the
same intensity when you compete against Josh?
“Of
course, otherwise I wouldn’t take the fight.”
What
can fans expect to see from Fedor at the next Affliction?
“As
always I will do my best to win!”
Would
you like to mention your sponsors?
“Well
of course I want to thank M-1/Affliction and Best and I would like to
thank my fans for their support.”
Fedor,
is there anything you’d like to add? “My fight will be on PPV in Australia as well, LIVE - 11:00am EST – Sunday, August 2 with replays at 6.30pm and 10.30pm. Channel is MAIN EVENT.”
For
more on Fedor Emelianenko: http://www.fedor.bel.ru/index_eng.shtml?id=138
For
Knucklepit’s review of Fedor Emelianenko’s book: http://www.knucklepit.com/mixed-martial-arts-knucklepit%20book%20review.htm For
more on Affliction/M-1 Global’s Trilogy: http://www.knucklepit.com/mixed-martial-arts-affliction_trilogy.htm To order Fedor’s book: www.budovideos.com
FEDOR
EMELIANENKO A Tribute to ‘The Last Emperor’
©Marc
Wickert
Born
in Rubizhe, Luhansk, Ukraine, on September 28, 1976, Fedor Emelianenko
relocated with his family to the Russian industrial town of Stary Oskol
when he was two. Situated 500 miles south of Moscow in the
Belgorod area, Stary Oskol is best known for its steel mills and iron
ore plant, which suited Fedor’s father who was a hard-working welder.
As
a child, Fedor grew up idolizing another Ukrainian, the legendary Soviet
weightlifter, Yury Vlasov, and was determined to one day inspire young
Russian children in the way Yury had inspired him. The adolescent
Fedor missed seeing Vlasov at his peak, when he took over from
America’s Paul Anderson as the ‘Strongest Man in the World’ before
slashing 32 world records in the super-heavyweight division. But the
legend of Yury was enough for Fedor to set the bar for his own
aspirations. Before entering his first MMA competition, Emelianenko had already drawn global attention by becoming an International Master of Sport in both Judo and Sambo. After entering the world of mixed martial arts, Fedor chalked up an incredible personal record of 30-1-0 (includes defeat of Martin Lazarev by choke), and he has not suffered a defeat since December, 2000.
In
reality, Fedor’s record should read 30-0-0-1 as his only official loss
was sustained when he first fought Tsuyoshi Kohsaka at King of the Rings
on December 22, 2000, and this fight ended at 17 seconds into the first
round due to a cut resulting from an elbow strike delivered by Kohsaka.
Under RINGS rules, elbow strikes were deemed illegal. On April 3,
2005, Emelianenko avenged his loss to Kohsaka at Pride Bushido 6.
Nicknamed
‘The Last Emperor’ by Japanese fans, it appears by Fedor’s
unassuming personality that there is a bigger picture for this
incredible athlete, known as ‘The Undisputed King of MMA’, than his
own self-importance. Not only does he religiously maintain his
commitment to inspire Russian youth, but Emelianenko has great national
pride and appears to relish flying the banner for Mother Russia. And Russia loves Fedor Emelianenko. On November 11, 2007, the Last Emperor was awarded the Order of Peter the Great of the first degree by representatives of the National State Decorations Committee after Fedor won his fourth World Championship in Combat Sambo whilst competing in Prague.
Another
national highlight of Emelianenko’s career was being congratulated by
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, also a Judo Master, who watches
Fedor’s fights at every opportunity. One can assume Prime
Minister Putin was watching Fedor Emelianenko’s last two fights when
he defeated two former UFC World Heavyweight Champions in their opening
rounds.
Prior
to Emelianenko’s bout with Andrei Arlovski, Freddie Roach criticized
Fedor’s boxing skills. At the Affliction press conference, a
humble Fedor responded, “Well, he’s a boxing trainer and he’s
entitled to his opinion with respect to what he feels about boxing
skills. I know that I don’t have a perfect boxing style, and I
know certain flaws that I have and I’ll work on those, and so it is
what it is.”
But
Fedor’s head trainer, Vladimir Mihailovich Voronov, was not so
diplomatic: “Okay,
well I like people that talk less and perform more. With us, our women
are the ones who talk a lot. And the men are the ones who get into a
ring and perform.”
However,
Emelianenko’s skills are definitely ‘textbook style’ – taken
from his own textbook, Fedor: The Fighting System of the World’s
Undisputed King of MMA. And the techniques he used to defeat
Sylvia and Arlovski are straight out of this publication.
[
http://www.knucklepit.com/mixed-martial-arts-knucklepit%20book%20review.htm]. Then there are the other airy statements that are both ludicrous and unsubstantiated: such as proclaiming a particular fighter to be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, which is on a par with asking Matt Damon if Jason Bourne would beat James Bond, or traveling to Hollywood to meet Bart Simpson in person.
At
the end of the day, Fedor Emelianenko’s record speaks for itself.
He has defeated the best of the best: Andrei Arlovski, Tim Sylvia,
Antonio Nogueira (twice), Mirko Cro-Cop… and it appears his next
opponent will be Josh Barnett (25-4), who dominated Gilbert Yvel at
Affliction: Day of Reckoning.
Interestingly,
it was Frank Trigg in his capacity as co-commentator for the Affliction:
Banned event who best predicted the outcome of Affliction: Day
of Reckoning, when he spoke of Fedor: “His striking style is very
unorthodox, because he kind of looks like, ‘I’m tired of you hitting
me now. Now I’m going to swing back.’ And then you fall
down.”
Probably
one of Fedor’s greatest attributes is his self-motivation. In
his book, Fedor says, “All of us (at the Red Devils Sports Club) share
a common goal – to push ourselves beyond our limits in order to reach
our potential in the art of fighting. This entails three grueling
practices a day, six days a week… It doesn’t matter if none of us is
fighting for six months.”
It’s
this same discipline that enables Emelianenko to remain so cool before
and during his fights, as stated on his official website: “As one
gains experience, one learns to get one’s emotions in order for a
fight,” says Fedor.
Preceding
his 36-second title match with Tim Sylvia, Fedor told Affliction:
“Before the fight, I try to concentrate on my inner self – think
about something I like. Whatever I do, I just try to think about
good things and that helps me. Every time I won, all of these
things and all of these events, I was getting ready for them.
“And
at that moment I was thinking about my team, because it’s not about
just my work and my training and my techniques; it’s also about the
team that stands with me. It’s my country, and my friends, and
people who support me – my coach and everyone else who contributes to
that victory.”
Hopefully,
we won’t have to wait long to witness the world’s most successful
MMA heavyweight champion compete again.
For
more on Fedor Emelianenko: http://www.fedor.bel.ru/about/index_eng.shtml (Be
sure to click on “eng” below Fedor’s image). For
more on Affliction: http://www.afflictionclothing.com/dayofreckoning.
FEDOR The
Fighting System of the World’s Undisputed King of MMA by
Fedor Emelianenko with
Glen Cordoza & Erich Krauss (Victory Belt) available through www.budovideos.com
© Marc Wickert
The
beauty of our modern age for anyone interested in combat sport or self-defense
is that ultimate fighting has revealed which are the world’s best
fighting systems and which disciplines and techniques are impractical.
This
high-tech age also enables MMA enthusiasts to be personally coached in
their own homes by the best competitors and instructors on the planet
– all for the price of a book or DVD.
Fedor
is
a classic example: Here readers have access to Fedor Emelianenko, the
“Undisputed King of MMA”. And his book definitely delivers the
goods – without being pretentious or flowery. “Many of the
techniques might not seem as fancy as the ones demonstrated in other
books, but I guarantee that the ones on the following pages have all
been tried and tested in battle,” says Fedor.
Emelianenko
covers striking techniques, counterattacks, clinching, throws and
takedowns, ground techniques (top and bottom), submissions and
escapes… On each occasion he also explains what separates his
techniques from those of other combatants, e.g., “With most of my
punches I turn my hand over more than most fighters.”
Fedor
is an elaborately illustrated book with every move shown clearly through
multi-angled photos and graphic type so nothing is left to the
reader’s interpretation. What could be better than having Fedor
Emelianenko in your corner?
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