Issue 185

December 2019

The Russian heavyweight will be looking to take Ryan Bader’s title, but not before he settles an old score with a former foe.

The Bellator heavyweight title is currently held by Ryan Bader. Is climbing the mountain and capturing it the ultimate goal?

Of course, I think about the title, but the only thing on my mind right now is a rematch with Javy Ayala. That’s all I care about.

That’s interesting that you would rather fight Ayala first before getting a title shot.

It’s a matter of honor. I would like to fight him again.

Your mother and father were high-level athletes in their youth. Can you speak to your parent’s influence on you in the athletic realm which, in a sense, led to your long career in combat sports?

My parents were a big influence on me. I grew up in a household where we didn’t drink. We didn’t smoke. We were very much into athletics and it influenced me and made me a competitor.

With a long and storied career in the sport, which fights are you most proud of from your legendary career?

My fight with Rogerio Nogueira, my fight with Semmy Schilt, my fight with Fabricio Werdum, my fight with Pedro Rizzo and my fight with Mauricio Rua were the greatest fights of my life without a doubt.

The fights all are special for different reasons. 

The Nogueira fight [his first defeat in MMA] was a good lesson for me. It put me on a learning curve. The “Ninja” fight was memorable because I fought with a broken hand. 

I remember the Semmy Schilt fight as being particularly memorable because it was a real fight. We were fighting. There was blood everywhere. We were really going at it. The Werdum fight was memorable because it was so close. I won a split decision. It was a very technical fight and it definitely wasn’t an easy fight.