Emelianenko: Khabib took the place that was worthy for a long time

Dmitriy Kel April 27, 2018, 1:26 p.m.
Fedor Emelianenko

- The last camp before the fight you spent in Holland. Why not in the US, where you can find a lot of high-end sparring partners?

- In Holland I already have a good team - the coaching staff, the fighters who help me there. I'm comfortable there. Although, of course, I feel best at home. But in Russia, due to the popularity of MMA, there are certain difficulties in the preparation. Therefore, I gathered a team and went to Holland.

- There were no thoughts to conduct the training in the US?

- Invite me, and I will go with great pleasure. But to train constantly - no.

- Your rival Frank Mir is a jiu-jitsu master. Will you try to work with him in the stance?

- We'll see (smiles). In the course of the battle we will seen.

- On one of the photos in the instagram you have a knee bandaged. Was there a trauma?

- It's nothing. Nothing serious. It's all over.

- Can you say that you are completely accustomed to the cage? You in fact used to be less comfortable in it than in the ring.

- I feel good in the cage. I play in it even more than in the ring.

- But you yourself feel that you have become a different fighter than there were 10 years ago?

- I feel that I'm not getting any younger. But I'm getting more experienced (smiles).

- Mir called you a wonderful person. But at the same time he said that he was annoyed with how you behave towards the press - they say, you do not talk much.

- I do not know what to say. I am asked questions, I answer them.

- Could anything make you talk trash about a rival?

- You know, people need to be treated the way you want them to treat you. I do not want people to say negative things to me, or anyone else. Therefore, I try to suppress the negative and treat others with respect and love.

- How do you feel about the popularity of Khabib Nurmagomedov? Do you see him as your successor as the main Russian star of the MMA?

- I'm very kind to Khabib. I'm glad that he became the champion of the UFC and took the place that had long been worthy. I hope that he will confirm his status, and will help young fighters, share his experience.

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