Bellator light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov is resting at home and healing his injuries after the fight with Yoel Romero. He plans to come back by the end of the year. However, his league's future is yet unclear.
In his exclusive interview, the Fedor Team fighter told us:
- about his injuries after the bout with Yoel Romero;
- about the Bellator sale rumors;
- how Fedor Emelianenko is training after his retirement;
- why he wants to see Oleg Taktarov's return;
- about his training sessions at Anatoly Malykhin's gym;
- about becoming a heavyweight.
"The injuries I got in the fight with Romero prevent me from boxing and fighting"
– How are you relaxing and spending time after your fight with Yoel Romero?
— I am having a rest and healing my injuries. There were a few long-lasting bruises but nothing serious. Now I am spending time with my family, doing stuff that's been piling up, and fishing.
– Were the fish biting? What was the biggest fish you caught?
— They usually weigh a kilogram or a kilogram and a half. Once I caught a carp that was about three kilos. I wasn't really lucky.
– Were your injuries caused by the fight with Romero, or have they accumulated over the years?
— I hadn't had these injuries before and received them during the bout. I usually recover more quickly. But soon I will start training. Now I'm running and swimming — it doesn't hurt, but I still can't box and fight.
– Do you know when you'll be ready to fight?
— Now I'll go to the tournament (on August 11, Bellator 298 — ed. note) with Nikita Mikhailov, Vova Tokov, and Valentin Moldavsky, support the guys, and be a corner. My injuries will finally heal, and I'll get in shape in a month. I feel well when I run and swim, so I won't lose shape. I will be fully prepared by November.
– What do you think of Bellator sale rumors? What does Fedor Emelianenko say? We know he's on friendly terms with Scott Coker.
— We have some info, but I cannot share it. Bellator officials should tell it themselves. We'll think about it if they sell it, and now we should think about continuing our career. I have some interesting thoughts.
– If PFL purchases Bellator, are you ready to transfer there or to the UFC?
— If this sale happens, we need to discuss it with the organizations and make informed decisions. Now I can't say where I'll move.
"Fedor works his tail off with everyone. I believe he can still demonstrate a good fight"
– Will you pay more attention to finances and make sure you will earn as much as you earn today?
— There are many crucial conditions. Finances are important, but there are other things I need to consider before signing the contract.
– Do you want your teammates to continue their careers at a high level with you?
— Yes, we are a team, that’s why we should move together and think about young fighters, not only about ourselves. I have achieved something and want to help the rookies like Fedor helped us. That's why I pay attention to finances, the team, and the negotiations. But there is no point in talking about it until there is no sale.
– Is Fedor actively training and taking part in the team's life after ending his career?
— Fedor organized a camp with me, boxed and fought, and now he's helping Valentin Moldavsky. It happens to all fighters: when you prepare for the fight, you're plagued by injuries and obstacles. When you don't prepare, you are relaxed, you train and work hard, you don't have any injuries, everything goes well, and you are full of energy. Maybe that's what Fedor feels now. He works his tail off with everyone. I believe he can still demonstrate a good fight.
– He considered an exhibition boxing bout with Roy Jones. Would you support this initiative?
— Of course, I would. I want to watch Fedor's bouts. And I'd like to see how he'll switch to boxing. I think he will need to work with a boxing coach and change his style a little bit. The timing and technique are different, but I believe Fedor can do it. If this fight happens, it will be awesome.
"I'd like to watch Oleg Taktarov's fight since he is always throwing shade at the young guys"
– Oleg Taktarov has recently claimed he would like to return to MMA. He is going to fight with Jeff Monson. Will this veteran's confrontation be interesting?
— I'd like to watch it because Oleg is always throwing shade at the young guys, for example, at Alexander Volkov. He always says they do something wrong and uses himself as an example. I'd like to see him coming and showing a proper bout. He also made mistakes when fighting. I think he shouldn't criticize the guys so fiercely, even if he's a famous athlete and has achieved a lot. We should respect our colleagues.”
– You don't think Fedor will be such a critic in the future, do you?
— He respects us. He won't criticize anyone and say, "I'd have done better."
– Many fighters described fierce sparring in Thailand, where people can fight till the last drop of blood. Have you faced this in training camps?
— No,my bouts were pretty normal. Once I boxed with a guy who landed a spinning back elbow and then approached me and apologized. Although I was boxing with him for four minutes and defeating him, but wasn’t beating him up. He was lighter than me but taller. And he landed this elbow and apologized!
What do you expect from a spinning back elbow? It's either a laceration or a knockdown. I had a laceration that required eleven stitches two months before the fight. Perhaps, this guy wanted to demonstrate he could fight against a Bellator champion. I have never been too fierce in such battles, I always try to be careful, and the same is true about my opponents.
When you watch fighters sparring, you can see that some of them are too aggressive both in big and small gloves, but I try to control myself. If I see the blow will be successful, I relax my arm or don't beat at all.
"Other Thailand gyms are not so clean as Malykhin's"
– What are your impressions of Anatoly Malykhin's new gym?
— Positive. He has a good gym for Thailand. Firstly, fans are on, they don't just hang there, like in some other gyms. Secondly, it is kept clean. The gym is well-equipped. There is a cage and wall mats. I think he should also add a weight room, but he plans to do it later. In general, the gym is top-notch. Other gyms are not so clean. Tiger Muay Thai is also good, but its owners are mostly focused on tourists and earning money. I started going there recently. There used to be two shifts: under and over 80 kg because it was very crowded. Now it's not so popular, but not so competitive, either.
– Do you plan to come there to prepare for bouts?
— This place is good for getting in shape. You come there and dive into training. You can run, buff up, spar, and fight, eat healthy and light food. Good weather, sea, and no pressure. At home, there are always other tasks that interfere with your training. That's why you need to go to a training camp. When I go away, all the matters are solved over the phone or without me. And here I am always asked to come and do something.
– On the one hand, we are happy for Anatoly because of the excellent conditions at ONE, because he is popular, in demand, and has a comfortable life. On the other hand, aren't you disappointed that he won't fight against the strongest heavyweights in the world? Finding a decent opponent is now more and more difficult.
— I am not disappointed. As long as he enjoys his lifestyle and has fun. He likes his salary, the place where he trains, lives, and fights, he has a good relationship with the league. He doesn't have any irritants.
You can fight with the best fighters but earn peanuts and be always irritated by something.
That's not about him, and that’s great. As for the fighters, Arjan Bhullar is strong. There's also Buchecha (Marcus Almeida) — a many-time world champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. ONE is constantly working at matchmaking, so he will have a good opponent.
– After his bout with Bhullar, many criticized him for kneeling before the ONE CEO Chatri. What do you think of it?
— I haven't seen it, although I watched the bout, so I cannot say anything. I think it was done in the heat of the moment, not out of admiration.
"My wife doesn't watch my bouts even on TV"
– Was your Chicago bout the first fight your wife went to?
— Yes, she hasn't even attended my amateur fights. But here Yekaterina got a visa because the new contract stated I could bring my wife to the bouts. Besides, the organization gave us four days to travel around America after the fight, and we went to New York. Now we will go to the Sioux Falls tournament. I will be Nikita Mikhailov's corner, Valentin's corner will be Fedor, and Vova Tokov's corner will be Yekaterina because Anatoly has started preparing, and the other guys don't have visas. Fedor and I will handle it, and she will look at America's sights one more time.
Chicago was cool. We lived in and walked around downtown, and the press conference was held on the one-hundredth floor. Now she will see a different America. The guys fought in Sioux Falls and said it was not so polished.
– What did you like most about Chicago?
— The architecture is cool, and the city is clean. Leaving in the center of Chicago is awesome. You leave the hotel and see Trump Tower. My wife hasn't watched "Brother 2," and I found the bench where Danila was waiting for his brother. Then we went to New York and also liked it. It had changed a bit. When I was there last time, it was dirty. Now it's cleaner. When you walk around before bouts, it's one thing. But when you've just fought and won, you feel differently.
– How did your wife take the fight itself? Was she more worried than usual?
— She doesn't watch my bouts, even on TV at home. She sits somewhere in the room, hears my father's reaction, and calls me and the guys only after the fight. She was at the hotel when I fought. She didn't go there.
"Fighting with Ngannou would be cool"
– After the fight against Romero, you said you would try your hand at heavyweight. Has this desire become stronger? Which division is now closer?
— I guess I will move to heavyweight because it becomes really hard. Firstly, I am 31. Secondly, the doctors said I should better move to the heavyweight division to keep fighting. I've fought with all light heavyweights in Bellator and now need something new: to oppose Ryan Bader for the second time or to face another strong rival. I don't want to fight against Corey Anderson or Phil Davis anymore.
– What's more important in the heavyweight division: to settle a score with Bader or to earn the belt? If Linton Vassell takes the title, will he be more interesting than Bader?
— No, I need to get the second belt.
– If Bellator merges with PFL and you are offered a bout with Francis Ngannou, which means a high fee, will you accept it without a second thought?
— I guess, yes. Fighting with Ngannou would be cool. I believe it's quite feasible.
– What's the situation in Belgorod region now, during the military operations?
— The air defense is working, and nobody crosses the border. I mostly live in a quiet village 50 km from the border and go to Belgorod once a week to see a doctor. I am just having a rest in the countryside with my family.
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