From TeamFedor.com
Fedor Emelianenko has been a busy man, a training camp, Showtime special, new marriage, a fight on CBS, the media that comes along with it, fighting Brett Rogers, and a minor surgery. These are just a few of the things “The Last Emperor” has been dealing with over the past few months.
Finally home from the United States after a brief stop in Korea, Fedor Emelianenko spoke with M-1Global’s Michael Mazur and discussed a number of topics including, fear, the stoppage of the Rogers fight, and video games in this exclusive interview.
Michael Mazur: Is it safe to say the Rogers fight was one of harder fights in your career?
Fedor Emelianenko: Well…Every fight is difficult in a different sense. Everything we
planned has played out well for us, that’s the most important, that’s
why I won.
Michael Mazur: Have you already watched the tape of your fight?
Fedor Emelianenko: Yes, the next day after the event.
Michael Mazur: Do you feel afraid during the fights?
Fedor Emelianenko: No I don’t. Sometimes it’s not easy in the day of the fight. But any
concerns leave me when I start warming up.
Michael Mazur: What moments of your fight against Rogers stand out the most in your memory?
Fedor Emelianenko: Frankly speaking, I don’t try to recall any dangerous or more
successful moments. All i think of is how to get back to my family
ASAP.
Michael Mazur: Was the John McCarthy’s stoppage well-timed in your opinion?
Fedor Emelianenko: I believe so. When everything was over, Rogers appeared to try
protecting himself but was still inactive. That tells me the referee
was right on the spot, the first and foremost goal of the referee is
to protect the fighters from getting more damage than necessary.
Michael Mazur: Has your wife accompanied you this time?
Fedor Emelianenko: No, not this time. She had seen me fight live though. This time she
stayed home with our daughter. Marina always worries about me every
time I step into the ring, which is natural. This time I had my friends
with me, they often come to support me.
Michael Mazur: What did your celebration look like? Was it hard to sleep the night
after your bout?
Fedor Emelianenko: You know, I slept very well (smiles). We sat down with the team,
talked through the outcome of the fight then I prayed.
Michael Mazur: What are the plans now: do you intend to have a rest and resume training?
Fedor Emelianenko: Some light training will start this week already. More profound
training sessions will wait until my hand heals completely.
Michael Mazur: Recently you signed with EA MMA. Are you a fan of videogames?
Fedor Emelianenko: No, I don’t play games.* I personally have not had the time.* As for
this particular game, the initiative came from my manager Vadim
Finkelchtein. As i understand, videogame fans would love to see me as
a virtual character. That’s why I gladly accepted the offer. When the
game hits the stands I’ll be the one to try it myself.
** Quote has been updated for accuracy and context
