Fedor Emelianenko: The Last Chorus

photo by Brian D’Souza

The chance to meet the man considered by many to be one of the greatest mixed martial arts fighters to ever live was too great of a lure to pass up. I traveled to Los Angeles in California to meet the Russian and uncover part of the puzzle over the mystery of who Fedor Emelianenko really is.

The entire congregation from Russia was staying at the Doubletree Hilton in Santa Monica, one of the most exclusive places in a very-much divided city. Upon meeting Fedor in the hotel lobby, the common observation about his expression rings true—he never changes his facial features in public, giving few clues as to what he is truly feeling. I hopped into boxing promoter and interpreter Steve Bash’s SUV as we tailed a shuttle that was carrying Fedor, his wife, friends and coaches to an M-1 affiliate gym in Chatsworth.

Flanked in the back seat by the official M-1 photographer and videographer, they were puzzled by my use of a seat belt, an uncommon safety apparatus back in their native country.

“In Russia, we lucky if car have wheels!” jokes M-1 director of operations Evgeni Kogan in a mock-Russian accent.

It has been a difficult day for Fedor, being jet-lagged, enduring several hours of back-to-back interviews and having the pressure of facing Fabricio Werdum in front of him. Everyone’s expectations of him are sky-high—but he still requires the same rest and relaxation that we all need to feel good.

Fedor began his workout by doing a pummeling drill with longtime grappling coach Vladimir Voronov. Voronov is a huge man himself, and along with striking coach Alexander Michkov, they are always at Emelianenko’s side. His coaches provide more than strategic or tactical instruction—they give reassurance and maintain peace and calm in the camp in the hectic days that precede the fight.

“We can definitely say that California is a sun state,” Voronov tells me, this being Fedor’s third trek to California after fighting twice in Anaheim for Affliction.

photo by Brian D’Souza

The cameras click repeatedly for Fedor’s striking drills on the pads. He throws short, sharp punches, compact hooks and very powerful straight punches with total transference of energy into Alexander Michkov’s mitts. Several times during the workout, he calls for a towel to wipe away sweat, often he paces back and forth between salvos, his mind seemingly occupied by something great.

Everything seems to be leading up to the outcome of the Fabricio Werdum fight on June 26th. A win here could setup a final fight on Fedor’s Strikeforce contract with Alistair Overeem for the title. After that, he could jump ship to the UFC and test his skills against Brock Lesnar or Shane Carwin.

Asked how he thinks the Werdum fight will go, Michkov is succinct, “According to the plan.”

But what is the master plan concerning Fedor and his future? Bash tells me that Fedor might have tipped his hand during the open media conference call earlier in the day.

During the call, Fedor stated “I don’t want to look too far ahead. Right now I’m just looking forward to this fight with Fabricio Werdum. Right now we have two more fights left with this relationship and if everything goes well and we feel good about the relationship I don’t see why we wouldn’t want to extend that.”

On the ride back, myself and translator Tatyana Sviatodumova get some time with Fedor for questions. His voice is whisper quiet, and his body language shows exhaustion after the day’s events. After we wrap up, his wife Marina rests her head on his shoulder while the driver takes his cue play Chris de Burgh’s classic love song ‘Lady in Red.’

The repeated postponements of the fight, preparations for Werdum, travel and every other minor detail concerning the future bout all seem to be swirling around Emelianenko like a dark vortex. He never became a fighter to enjoy the spotlight—this was just something he took up because the government stipend to compete with the national sambo team wasn’t enough to live off of.

When we arrive back, the van drops everyone off at a Santa Monica restaurant. The pressure from the day begins to dissipate, everyone begins to relax and come out of their shell just a little more. The days ahead leading up to the fight may be even more grueling for Fedor Emelianenko—he has more interviews, must travel to San Jose, has an open workout and public weigh-ins to attend— but he is the favorite against Werdum for a good reason—he can balance the pressures of his career and execute as planned.

I came to LA to discover some secret truth about Fedor—but there was nothing to know that wasn’t in plain sight: He’s at the top of his game, focused on what matters most, and ready to give the best performance that he can. The moment the fight ends, he’ll enjoy an immense sense of relief—but for right now, he will continue to prepare himself so that on June 26th he has his hand raised.

The immortal words of his childhood hero, Olympian weight lifter Yury Vlasov ring true through Fedor’s actions:

“The thrill of victory is too great for me to step back and give up. For as long as this feeling is alive in me, nothing can stop me. Victory is sheer joy, and I’m convinced that a man is born to be a winner.” (Yury Vlasov)

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