 Red Belt
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 7,593
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New Fedor Interview - English Translation: Talks Red Devil, Seminars, & Future Plans
Fedor Emelianenko's Plans for the Future: Possible Seminars in America, France
Our last meeting with Fedor Emelianenko took place in March. At this time he was making trips abroad, meeting with different important people, and being the guest of honour at different levels of competition. Today, we asked Fedor to tell us about all of it.
Correspondent: In January, you met with the well-known actor Jean-Claude Van Damme, who invited you to act in the movie "Bloodsport". You planned a meeting in Russia in April; what happened there?
Fedor: It hasn't happened yet. Our managers have been talking with each other, but he hasn't come to Russia yet.
Correspondent: You've been invited abroad to give seminars on sambo, wrestling, and MMA fighting. Where have you been?
Fedor: I did my last seminar in America, in Atlantic City, where have just returned from. It was a very pleasant experience, thanks to the organizers. Usually there are many people who do not know much at seminars, but at this one, it was almost all sportsmen. It was very easy to work with them. There was very good communication between the participants and myself; the questions I was asked were not amateur ones and were very competent. In spite of that, it lasted 5 hours. Time flew by. My American colleagues have invited to give some more seminars, and they are planning a big tour across America.
Correspondent: How many people took part in the seminar?
Fedor: More than hundred for sure. I can't say exactly, but there were so many we barely fit in the hall.
Correspondent: The last report on your official site was about participation of your brother Alexander the Grand Prix, and the victory of your colleague Roman Zenstov. Tell about these competitions more in detail.
Fedor: If I have to comment on Alexander's performance, I can say one thing: He could not properly implement his game plan. His preparation for the fight was not good enough, so it wasn't possible for him to win. Also, all the hard punches he landed in the fight injured his hand. There is one thing which bothered me about the fight. The referee made a mistake in taking time to stop the fight when it looked like his opponent Josh Barnett was hit in the eye; though on the video replay, you can see that nothing like that happened.
Roman Zentsov had a very competent performance, scoring a pure knockout on his opponent- Dutch sportsman Gilbert Yvel. It's very obvious how Roman is growing and progressing as a fighter.
Correspondent: Alexander to some extent managed to compensate for his defeat by a victory in the Russian Sambo Championship in Yeketarinburg literally a week after his fight with Barnett. Who was your brother's opponent?
Fedor: Yes, despite his injury Alexander won the Russian championship. One of his opponents was Sergey Kaznovsky, and in the final, Hamid Bljagoz, from Maikop (city in Russia). Now Alex will go on to England in the world championship, where will represent Russia in the heavyweight class. He has more or less healed his injury, and is actively preparing to compete. In July, we plan to have a training camp in Kislovodsk. Now we train together with Roman Zenstov and Amar Suloev. By the way, Amar (fights in a lower weight) won in the first round of the Grand Prix against very accomplished fighter Murilo Bustamante and has advanced into the second round. I think it's an accomplishment for our whole team; Amar's personally, certainly, but our general training and strategy can take credit as well.
Correspondent: your colleagues in Red Devil have taken part in the "Euphoria" event, which usually take place in America. Could you tell us about the results?
Fedor: the Russian team in the American competition was Sergey Kaznovsky, Vladimir Zenin, Eric Aganov. Sergey won his fight very early, knocking out his opponent. Vladimir Zenin lost: he wasn't able to correctly see what his strategy should be, the beginning of the fight was too fast-paced and wild. He hurt his opponent and tried to finish him, but he wasn't able to stop him; as a result, he gassed out and lost. Eric Aganov from Kislovodsk didn't fight too bad. Eric still does not have experience and knowledge, however he proved to be a game challenger. Despite his loss, I think he did well and it will be a learning experience for him.
Correspondent: How is your hand? Can you feel it improving? Will the doctors soon give you the okay to compete in fights again?
Fedor: The hand is basically okay, everything going normally. I do rehab, strengthen it, everything's going well. In October, I plan to fight in a Pride event in America; the doctors say I shoud be ready for then.
Correspondent: Recently you met the governor of the Belgorod oblast (province/state). What was the purpose of your meeting with him?
Fedor: We discussed questions relating to the youth program of popularization of sports and a healthy way of life. In September we plan to hold competitions in Stary Oskol, and we have invited the Governor. The competition will be on my birthday, and we will hold a few fights. We have the tentative card already planned out.
Correspondent: Do you train fighters in Stary Oksol?
Fedor: It is impossible for me to be a dedicated coach to young sportsman with my active schedule, but there are a few young athletes we hope to see compete at the international level. Dima Samoilov, a current Sambo champion, Cyril Sidelnikov. They are basically just young prospects.
Correspondent: On one of forums, there was a reference to a site of the well-known Volk Han, and you are advertised as one of the fighters on his team. What was your relationship with him and his training?
Fedor: Hmm, Russian Top Team, along with Andrey Kopylov, Mikhail Iloukhine, and also Volk Han? I practically didn't train with Han. We all trained in one hall; I trained with his students, and with him. Han often asked me to show all of the students this or that move. I feel like I grew as a fighter with all of the guys in that gym, and grew close with them. We were united at Russian Top Team- to compete against the teams of Georgia, Bulgaria, and Japan (Editor's note: He is referring to the structure of RINGS which had nationally-organized teams compete against each other) I regard Han very well. He is one of trailblazers in RINGS. And though RINGS is fairly far from Pride, personally my experiences of fights in this organization were very useful to me.
Correspondent: Allow me to ask some informal questions. Have you finished the portrait of your brother you were drawing?
Fedor: Recently I haven't drawn anything; I sketched out his hand a little bit. I hope all the same that some time I will be able to finish it.
Correspondent: Which of dishes of national cuisines do you like the best?
Fedor: In Japan- Sashimi, and such dishes, as shabu-shabu are pleasant. In Korea, kim-chee was very good- it is a sharp dish from cabbage; in general, Korean food is excellent. In Holland, thick steaks three times a day is common. In America too, the food was remarkable. I think I understand now why obesity is one of their main national problems!
Correspondent: And one of the usual questions- what plans do you have for the near future? Trips, training, participation in competitions.
Fedor: Plans for the near future? As I already said, I plan to lead seminars in America, also possibly in France. Still, I would very much like to go on a cruise, as I haven't had any rest at all in almost four years.
Last edited by Kolchak; 06-17-2006 at 07:31 PM.
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