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Reporter: Hello Fedor, we are greeting you before your fight with Jeff Monson on November 20. Tell us how you are feeling and about the preparations.
Fedor: Thank you. Everything is fine and I’m feeling good, thank God. The preparations are going according to plans. Until today (around second week of October) we were training here at home, in Russia, but in the upcoming time I am going to Holland and will train there with my brother Aleksander.
R: Today you will meet with Jeff Monson. Have you watched any of his fights? What do you think about this opponent and what can you say about him?
F: Of course I watched his fights. He is one of the strongest fighters. He’s fought in the UFC, and in Pride, and in other promotions. He has beaten name fighters. What can I say? He has great physical strength, he is explosive and has great stamina. Very good wrestler and of course a lot of experience.
R: Can you point to any weaknesses?
F: If anything is weak, then I can say that maybe his striking technique is limping a bit.
R: Your meeting with Monson was planned back in 2007 when you were competing in St. Petersburg with Matt Lindland. Why didn’t the fight take place then? Can you give any details?
F: You know, I don’t remember. Yeah he was one of the candidates. I don’t really choose anyone, they are presented by the organizers of the tournaments. I don’t remember that Monson was looked at. Now I remember that he wasn’t considered. No, he wasn’t there.
R: Maybe the Western sites wrote this information.
R: I wanted to ask in this particular fight, did you have any participation in choosing Monson as your opponent? Did you consult with Vadim, or did he make the entire decision?
Fedor: Vadim made the decision. He is the organizer of this tournament.
R: I also wanted to ask about forthcoming training in Holland. What will you focus on and what role will you brother play in your training?
F: Aleksander’s role will be grappling but we will train striking technique as well. We couldn’t train together for a few years because I mainly trained in Oskol and Aleksander in St. Petersburg. But in recent time it became possible and we have spent time in Kislovodsk (high altitude training) and he came to Oskol too and now we are going to Holland together. Sanya (Aleks) has helped a great deal, always, and I am very glad that we are working together now. I think this is a great plus for us both and there’s gonna be a lot of growth.
R: Fedor, your fight with Monson will take place in Russia. Are you nervous at all?
F: Of course I am glad that finally I could perform here at home in Russia. On the other hand, the responsibility is bigger. I think just like in St. Petersburg there will be a lot of bothering and a lot of phone calls. So I am just warning you, I’ll probably have the phones turned off (laughs.)
R: The fight will take place in a ring, not in a cage. Do you think this will be any advantage for you?
F: Not really. In my opinion there are no differences. There are a few nuances, but they are insignificant.
R; Right now the attention you are getting is incomparably bigger than when you were fighting in St. Petersburg. Does this present any difficulties, as far as training and preparation.
F: I never had any difficulties in the process of training and preparations. No.
R: What will be your weight for the fight? Maybe an approximation?
F: It will be heavyweight (laughs.) I don’t control my weight. I go through training and show up at the weight that, let’s say, my body took on during the time of training.
R: Can you give an estimate of the progress of MMA in Russia? What do you think is happening, progress, regress, etc?
F: Of course MMA has become more popular and more interesting. But we are still lacking professionalism. A lot of companies started up, who are trying to mimic M-1 and on this background, let’s just say, some low quality fights started to take place.
