Ismailov: "I hate Mineyev more and more"

Russian mixed martial arts fighter Magomed Ismailov said the upcoming rematch with Vladimir Mineyev is the most fundamental in his career.

- Do you feel you have the most fundamental fight of your career ahead of you?

- Well, it works out. I was fine with Shtyrkov, with Frolov, with Vasilevsky and with Emelianenko. And here it's not okay. Yes, this is the most principled fight.

- There's a feeling that you'll approach this fight in better condition than Mineyev. In the last three years you've had 4 hard fights, which meant 4 hard preparations, thanks to which you've been growing. Vladimir in this time had three fights, two of which were of a 'passing' nature.

- Do you think I've had enough?

- I think you've grown stronger than Vladimir in that time...

- Yes, you could say that, but you could also say that I'm full, right? More accurately, you could say so if it wasn't about Ismailov.

- Aren't you tired of all this?

- No. I'm tired of the work my older brother Ramazan gives me. I'm not tired of everything, I'm only tired of this episode where Ramazan gives me a job. Otherwise I am ready for everything. I'm going through tough conditions in the gym, in super discomfort mode. There can be no more uncomfortable conditions in the cage with Mineyev. I'm going to be comfortable there. I'm out of my comfort zone now because of Vladimir Mineyev. And every time I am out of my comfort zone, I hate him more and more. Sometimes, you think: "Oh, man! "This is so hard for me, and it's all because of him! I wish I could give him..." So in combat, I'll be... "Tough" isn't really the right word?

- Sportsmanlike...

- Yes, athletically I will be tough in this confrontation

The fight Mineyev - Ismailov 2 will take place on October 16 in Sochi. Their first meeting took place in October 2018 and ended in a draw.