The Emperor's new groove: MMAmania.com interview exclusive with Fedor Emelianenko
by Derek Bolender on Dec 1, 2009 5:19 PM EST
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In the sport of mixed martial arts, five-time world champion Fedor Emelianenko still reigns supreme. After nearly a decade in the fight game this Russian heavyweight, simply now known to the world as "Fedor," still has an unblemished record.
He does, however, technically have one loss on his resume from the RINGS "King of Kings" Tournament that was held in December 2000 in his fight against Ysuyoshi Kohsaka.
He sustained a cut 17 seconds into the match from an unintentional (but illegal under RINGS rules) elbow strike -- a cut bad enough to warrant a doctor stoppage. In a non-tournament fight it would have been ruled a no contest or a disqualification victory for Fedor. This is precisely why many fans and media pundits still consider him undefeated.
Recently he recorded his 31st career victory with a dominating performance over Brett Rogers at the Strikeforce: "Fedor vs. Rogers" CBS event that will likely lead to a potential 2010 match-up against either Fabricio Werdum or current Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair Overeem.
"The Last Emperor" took some time out of his schedule to discuss his most recent fight against "The Grim" including what it was like fighting in a cage for the first time, if he felt he executed his game plan and whether or not he was in any real danger in the first round of the fight.
Check it out:
Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you feel like you executed your game plan against Brett Rogers? Did the fight play out like you anticipated?
Fedor Emelianenko: Yes, it sure did. The first round I was trying to see how he fights, which pace, how he stands and reacts, etc... to find his weak spot and then take advantage of it.
Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): When you were on your back in the first round and Rogers was raining down punches, how badly were you hurt and were you in real danger?
Fedor Emelianenko: I did not feel I was in real danger. Of course he hit me but it looked worse than it was. I was able to avoid a lot of the punches and I knew what I was doing.
Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): In hindsight, did you do enough preparation and training in the actual cage itself? Did you have any difficulty with the cage?
Fedor Emelianenko: A fight is a fight, whether it's in a cage or a ring. It doesn't matter so much to me. I trained in a cage a lot of times so I knew what to expect.
Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): There have been numerous reports about the injuries you sustained in the fight. How bad are the injuries to your hand and nose? What is the severity? Is either broken?
Fedor Emelianenko: No, nothing is broken. My thumb was dislocated and on my nose an old cut was opened again.
Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): How long do you anticipate being out before you start to train again?
Fedor Emelianenko: I am already back in training but not so much. And next week I will go on a holiday.
Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Which month in 2010 will you be targeting for your next fight?
Fedor Emelianenko: I don't know.
Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Will your next fight be in the United States or in Japan?
Fedor Emelianenko: Probably the US.
Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you have a preference whether you fight Fabricio Werdum or Alistair Overeem next?
Fedor Emelianenko: No.
Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you feel Alistair Overeem should be stripped of his Strikeforce heavyweight title at this time for failure to defend his belt since he originally won it back in November 2007?
Fedor Emelianenko: That is not for me to say.
Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): If you had to pick one, what would you say is your biggest weakness or a part of your game that you still need to work on even at this juncture in your career?
Fedor Emelianenko: Me and my trainers always see a lot of things that can be improved - on the ground and in stand-up. I don't think you ever can say that you can't improve yourself.
Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you look at Gegard Mousasi as your protégé and a man you are helping groom to one day follow in your footsteps and become a dominant heavyweight champion?
Fedor Emelianenko: Yes, Gegard is my friend and a very talented fighter. Of course I live in Russia and he lives in The Netherlands but we are friends and I hope he will keep winning.
Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): How much longer would you like to compete in MMA and when will you know it is time to hang it up for good?
Fedor Emelianenko: As long as my mind and body are good I can keep on fighting. I don't know when I will stop.
Derek Bolender is a contributor to MMAmania.com, CBSSports.com, FoxSports.com, and BleacherReport.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/DerekMMAwriter and Facebook.com/Derek.Bolender.
*** Special thanks to Jacob Schaap of M-1 Global for facilitating the interview. ***
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Not much here
Gotta respect the man’s skills but he sure doesn’t say much. That, or his translator(s) needs to be replaced.
It was mis-translated
It was closer to: You think your puny Americans can harm the great Fedor? Ha! I crush you all! You will wear the yoke of communism as I defeat all American champions.
Good times and riches and son of a bitches
I've seen more than I can recall.
Fedor's best response ever was...
when he was asked about his fight with Timmah…he started laughing immediately without even answering the question
McArthur
That was honestly my favorite Fedor moment of all time. Those that dont know, Timmeh had been calling out THE GOD for years, and then the interviewer mentioned his name and Fedor couldnt stop himslef from cracking up! JUST AWESOME!!! Best clip of all time!
Congrats to Mania, best fighter that you have ever interviewed! New site still blows!
Classic
My name is Drago, err Fedor. I’m a fighter from the Soviet Union. I fight all my life and I never lose. soon I fight Rocky, er Allistair, uh, Fabricio, er, how you say… any puny American, and the world will see his defeat. Soon, the whole world will know my name.
Actually
I think his interpreters to some degree (I know that his personality isn’t that warm either) but I watched the last fight with my wife’s sister’s boyfriend, it was his first MMA event and I was explaining a lot to him but he got a kick out of listening to Fedor talk because he was born Ukraine and speaks fluent Russian and he was so irritated with the way the interpreters paraphrased at times and twisted his words a bit.
by Edgecrusher71 on Dec 1, 2009 11:19 PM EST up reply actions
American soccer maybe
Excluding the US National team, of course. EPL, Euro League and Champions League is freakin’ awesome! But MLS sucks.
Good times and riches and son of a bitches
I've seen more than I can recall.
I grew up on soccer and was really good back in the day. There are guys in those Euro leagues that make things I can barely comprehend look easy. Then I watch the MLS and think most of them aren’t any better than I was when I was 14.
Good times and riches and son of a bitches
I've seen more than I can recall.
...
My girlfriend gets stuck watching a lot of Man U games with me. We tried to watch an MLS playoff game a few weeks back and her comment was “that other soccer you watch is so much prettier than this, they are all just whacking the ball back and forth”. She is not a knowledgeable soccer fan and yet she accurately described the state of US club soccer….boot ball.
Exactly!
The U.S. can pull 24 very good players together to form a strong national team that can compete with anyone, but the talent level of MLS top to bottom is terrible.
Good times and riches and son of a bitches
I've seen more than I can recall.
awsome!
an exclusive interview with fedor garners more respones about soccer(futball) than the fighter himself. lol. iv’e read where tom atencio said that fedor can speak ALOT better english than he lets on(this was before the lawsuit). i think fedor being a boring interview has more to do with how much of his life and career he is in actual control of as opposed to finkie and millen, than his supposed “inability” to speak english. i just wish he would speak to dana and the ferrtittas JUST ONCE, FACE TO FACE, as opposed to having everything translated back to him by his corrupt management. even his own brother aleks says fedor is not in control of what he does professionaly and pretty much every former pride star who is now in the ufc says that fedor should have been in the ufc a long time ago (big nog and wandy for example).
someday the truth will set him free. FREE FEDOR! :)
by bdw on Dec 1, 2009 8:38 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah
I think if “Soccer” really wants to make inroads in the US they’ll have to start awarding 50 points for a goal and 25 points for every 10 minutes a team goes without conceding one, then the scores will look big and people full of weak beer and beef jerky will be able to get excited about it… ;)
Don’t get me started on American “Football” (a sport with no reason to have stolen the name since the ball is carried) – 10 minutes of setting up and planning followed by 6 seconds of action then back to setting up, just so the TV stations can throw in 30 commercials… Dull dull dull!
Dont start with the Soccer v Football comparisons
American Football is of course way more exciting. (they only huddle for about 10 to 15 seconds btw)
dude.....i am
Canadian Football is Much Faster
Cfl is 3 downs instead of 4 with no fair catch rule, making it a much more aerial attack game n lots more action.
And Canada DOES NOT have weak BEER. Its kinda our thing. Lol.
But to be fair i’d much rather watch American football then UK (soccer). Or baseball! Man that shits boring! All sports are fun to play so that doesn’t really come in to factor IMO.
Oh and….umm go FEDOR!
by daniel worby on Dec 2, 2009 9:23 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
While I agree...
that many Americans drink crappy beer, we still have access to some solid brews and personally I only drink good beer. Yes, many of us have a short attention span and need high scoring games to be entertained, but not all of us. I love everything from soccer to baseball to football to golf to mma and everything in between. Cricket perplexes me though. I just don’t get it. Oh, I don’t eat beef jerky either. I know I will never convince soccer haters to think differently because they just don’t understand the game. It is a beautiful sport to watch.
Learn The Language
I think I am going to get Rosetta Stone the Russian addition.
For the Record
I tried to get what I could out of him. A picture of Fedor in a sweater may be worth a thousand words, but an interview is a bit more challenging. He won’t allow for any wasted energy inside or outside the cage.
Good job anyways!
The guy is just a “no” and “yes” answering machine. He won’t even answer when he will fight next but I guess he does his talking in the cage.
I can't imagine..
What you went through to get an interview with Fedor. Getting the interview alone speaks volumes! Great job.
This part made me think of a Rocky comparison
Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you have a preference whether you fight Fabricio Werdum or Alistair Overeem next?
Fedor Emelianenko: No.
Fedor then adds…I must break them.
by Shadyone33 on Dec 1, 2009 5:47 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
=P
Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you like Ice cream?
Fedor: Niet! Wait, what? Dide you say Ice Cream? I do, can we go for some? If not, I must break you!
Mauricio Shogun Rua #1 LHW in the World. The TRUE Champion.
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
by xFenixKnightx on Dec 1, 2009 7:58 PM EST up reply actions
Fedor will disappoint!
Fedor will disappoint Alistair and his fans! Verdum as well! However, I do predict Fedor to either retire, or lose sometime within the next 1.5-2 years. I don’t believe it will be because of someone who is a better fighter than he is at this moment! But, rather a result of Fedor’s game diminishing a bit. But, I’ll always root for him!
by Dana's a Crossdresser on Dec 1, 2009 7:53 PM EST reply actions
Whats up with the questions?
Congrats on snaggin this interview, BUT…
I think you could of asked him some better quesions… We all know that he does not give bullshit answers, he doesnt speculate and he only tells you what he knows… and if you are asking him for his personal opinion regarding anything negative towards another person, he’s gonna keep it to himself…
what I really want to know is: WHAT THE HELL DOES HE EAT? does he diet? does he avoid certain types of food? does he know that he’s fat?
hmmm… fedor’s balls… what color are they… hmmm… very perplexing….
question: “HEY FEDOR? Do the the drapes match the carpet?”
Fedor: That is not for me to say.
I don’t see how you can not like Fedor. He’s the best and humble as hell.
I think I’ve narrowed down reasons why some people hate on him:
1) Because he’s Russian, and somebody from another country may not like him because of it
2) Because he’s white, and a racist may not not him because of it
3) He won’t sign with the UFC
Basically just biases all around.
its basically because he won’t sign for the UFC. He’s faced some of the greatest fighters ever in their prime and beaten them convincingly. He’s finished 24 of his 33 fights. 21 of them on the first round! Yet, people believe he hasn’t proven himself. Its fuckin ridiculous is what it is.
by cauliflower_ears on Dec 2, 2009 8:17 AM EST up reply actions
haters gonna hate
N if they hate then let em hate n watch the money pile up
by daniel worby on Dec 2, 2009 9:35 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
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