MMAcube

We have a Blog Entry directly from Aleksander Emelianenko. He is better known for being the brother of MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko for those who don't know him very well. Aleks talks about the UFC, Cro Cop, Barnett, tatoos, and possibly fighting in DREAM.

Here is his entry. Translation props go to Sherdog member stripthesoul


Hello! There are many news. I can already say where I'm getting offers to continue my career - from Holland's Golden Glory, Japan's DREAM, president of the UFC Dana White wants me to fight for them. All the contracts offered are long term, so I have not made up my mind yet, where I will compete. I'm thinking and preparing for the fight against Ibrahim Magomedov on March 29th.

I'm preparing in several Petersburg's gyms at the same time with my permanent trainer Yuri Razumov. And now I can say, that it's more convenient to prepare this way - I have many more sparring partners.

Also, I made, actually still making a new tattoo. I got a little tired of smartasses, who see in me some criminal authority, and want to prove that I can put any drawing that I like on my body. Now, I'm going to have a drawing of the moment from the famous Kulikovskoy battle on my chest "Battle of Aleksander Peresvet with Mongol-Tatar knight Chelubey"

I wanted to get this tattoo for a long time. In my childhood when I saw this picture in one of the books, I got very fond of it. And now that I found a very good master, decided, that it's the most fitting moment.

The tattoo is not ready yet. Almost every day he's working on it. And there will be more work after the fight. But when it's all ready it should look great.


Aleksander, there was some official information on Sherdog, that you weren't allowed to fight in the States because of hepatitis. Did you hear that. How much truth is in it?

It's all nonsense. I did not get in on the first Affliction show, because there were some problems with documents. I flew in, and passed the medical commission. Everything was fine. Then they tell me that I flew in too late and cannot compete. And before the second event, I injured my hand. I sensed that I would not be able to compete at full strength and asked them myself not to schedule the fight. I'm hoping to compete on the third Affliction show this summer in America.

How many seconds would you last against your brother? Do you think about a rematch with Crocop?

I never thought about a fight with my brother, because we will never fight against each other. We offered a rematch to Crocop many times, but he refused; and now Mirko is not the same anymore; his last fights showed that. And my loss to him should not be overestimated. I was only 23 years old then, my fourth fight in MMA, and Filipovic was already a top fighter.

I read your interview in a newspaper where you said that you would beat anybody. Don't you think there's nobody really left to beat at this point? Nogueira, Silva, Couture are old and beaten - Mir, Gonzaga, Herring - not interesting and beaten - and today's champion Lesnar - he's laughable to look at! Whom would you like to fight?

Agreed, there's nobody to beat, so that's why I don't care who I fight with. I want to fight who others consider the best.

I would love to see your fight with Cheick Kongo! Can you tell us if you have a will to rematch Barnett and Crocop?

I already answered about Crocop earlier. We offered Barnett a rematch and he refused. But last summer in America, during the first Affliction show, he came up to me all green and with shaking lips said "Sasha, I agree to fight with you". So perhaps it's