Fedor on His ‘Unpleasant’ Layoff, Overeem, Retirement

Possibly one of the only ways you’ll be able to sense Fedor Emelianenko’s hunger for fighting was his recent admission that he didn’t like having to sit out a proposed April bout while his management team, M-1 Global, negotiated a new contract with its co-promotional partners Strikeforce.

Emelianenko’s heavyweight bout against Fabricio Werdum was delayed from an April 17 broadcast on CBS, after M-1 Global insisted that Strikeforce return to the table to re-negotiate an agreement that had been signed the previous August.

“It was unpleasant that the fight kept getting postponed,” said the stolid Emelianenko through his translator Steven Bash during a Friday teleconference call. “I was certainly ready to fight in April and I wanted to fight in April. I had to change my training (schedule) for it.”

M-1 Global said it asked for a revised agreement mainly to create more of a presence for their organization on the jointly-promoted events. The two parties were able to hash out a new co-promotional agreement by May for at least two more events together.

“With respect to that period and why the bout was postponed, it had nothing to do with me,” added Emelianenko. “From our side, it’s really a question that you should probably direct to Strikeforce and not M-1 Global.”

Emelianenko stated that he’s not an active participant in the business side of negotiations pertaining to his bouts.

“(M-1 Global’s) Vadim (Finkelchstein) relates to me all of the details of any negotiations that take place and I don’t participate personally in those negotiations,” said Emelianenko. “The main question that I always decide and is always up to me is how much time I will need to prepare for a fight to recover from whatever injuries I have or aches and pains I have and have the proper training camp to be ready for a particular fight.”

In other notes:

• Emelianenko said Werdum’s 2006 submission victory over his brother Aleksander would have no bearing on the bout. “It absolutely makes no difference…I have no vengeance because of that,” said Emelianenko. “I plan on fighting for myself and my country.”

• Werdum on the Fedor Mystique: “Most fighters, exclusive of myself, have already lost the fight with Fedor before stepping into the cage because Fedor has proven to be the greatest in the world,” said Werdum through his translator and manager Richard Wilner. “While I’m not a statistician, perhaps some of that lack of mental preparation goes with them into their future fights.”

Emelianenko didn’t concur with Werdum’s theory. “As far as what happens to the fighters that have fought with me in the past, I don’t think there’s any mystery or any magic to it. Every person’s different and it depends on them and how they handle defeat and how they continue to fight in their career,” he said.

• The 33-year-old Emelianenko declined to comment on a future bout with Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem. Emelianenko said he has two fights remaining as part of M-1 Global’s deal with Strikeforce (including the Werdum bout) and if everything went well, he didn’t see why he wouldn’t extend for more bouts under that co-promotional set-up.

• When asked, Emelianenko did generally comment on Overeem, Shane Carwin, and UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar -- three of the heftier standouts in that division’s ranks. “Size and strength doesn’t always define the ability for a fighter to perform in the ring and the cage…Size doesn’t necessarily define how they’d perform against me,” he said.

• Emelianenko said he’d like to finish up his current contract without any losses and would re-evaluate his career from there. Emelianenko clarified that he had no aspirations to run for political office at this time, but if it were to happen, it would be something that came after he retired from fighting.

• Emelianenko on retirement: “After every fight I balance and weigh whether I should continue or whether I should stop. Until I feel I come to a point where I feel I’m not as effective or I’m not getting what I want out of the sport, I’ll continue fighting.”

• Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said June 26 ticket sales had reached over the 10,000 mark and he hoped to top out around 15,000 tickets sold. Coker praised the combination of Emelianenko’s return and a strong presence from local standouts like Cung Le and Josh Thomson for the healthy sales.

• Emelianenko said he prefers to spend time with his family and friends rather than “cruise the Internet” to read about what others say about him, positive or negative.

• Emelianenko said he’s fully recovered from the dislocated thumb he sustained in his second-round TKO victory over Brett Rogers last November.

• Emelianenko said he feels comfortable fighting in a cage and has been training in one back in Russia.

• A Strikeforce event on Aug. 21 has nearly been finalized to take place at the Toyota Center in Houston, said Coker. Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal, who hails form the Lone Star state, will make his first title defense – possibly against Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante.

• When asked, Emelianenko said he believed Sambo was the most beneficial base discipline an aspiring fighter could take up, particularly to combat Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Emelianenko recommended adding boxing and muay Thai as well.