“I will answer any challenge”: Kudryashov on the transition to MMA and possible fights with Scala Johnson and Emelianenko

- More recently, you were preparing for the transition to mixed martial arts, but your last fight was boxing. Change your mind?

- I can always speak by any rules, especially since I have a base. At one time, he fulfilled the standard of a master of sports in hand-to-hand combat, as well as in mixed martial arts, where there is both wrestling and boxing. Therefore, I have an understanding. But in order to fight at a high level, it takes a long time to prepare. You need to feel comfortable - and not only in the rack, but also in the stalls. And when I was offered a duel in my sport, of course, I chose boxing.

- That is, they have not put an end to the prospect of moving to MMA ?

- No, but there are no specifics either. I can perform both in boxing and in mixed martial arts, while no one forbids. Why not? I am interested in the very spirit of competition, so I would love to compete according to the rules of MMA.

- Do you already have an agreement with the promotion?

- No, but we are talking with Fight Nights. I think that I will not have problems if there is a desire to speak.

- In what weight category would you like to compete?

- Category one, I perform in the first heavyweight. In mixed martial arts, this is up to 93 kg.

- And with whom exactly would you like to fight?

- There were no concrete thoughts yet. In the near future there will be a lot of events, the schedule is scheduled for a long time, so now I'm not up to mixed martial arts.

- Recently, it has been popular to challenge Alexander Emelianenko. Would you be interested in this?

- What sports interest can Alexander Emelyanenko be for me? He is a champion in his category, and I am competing in another. I also do not have any personal hostility towards him. What to base your challenge on? I did not achieve anything in mixed martial arts. It would be absurd to say that I challenge him to battle according to his rules.

- Recently, Emelianenko fought with Mikhail Koklyaev. What do you think about such fights?

- I know that many criticized. They said that such fights allegedly discredit this sport. But I believe that, on the contrary, it helps its development. The more people go into the ring and try themselves, the better. Plus it created a lot of spectator interest. The next day my mother asked me who won.

- Seriously?

- Yes! But this is she, a man absolutely far from martial arts! It is great that such men's sports attract a wide audience. If in the future one of the famous actors or athletes wants to try himself in the ring, then why not?

- And you would answer the call, say, actor Dwayne Rock Johnson?

- Of course, I would have agreed to fight with Scala, because it popularizes boxing as a sport. I will answer any call.

- Mixed martial arts involve the possession of various aspects. Did you do freestyle wrestling during preparation?

- Yes, I went to the fight and practiced various elements, but this was not my priority.

- That is, there was no desire to develop in this direction, to go to Dagestan, to work there with the craftsmen?

- If I plan to have a good fight according to the rules of MMA, I will definitely take advantage of the fact that in Dagestan we have the strongest fighters in the world. Then it will be possible to work with them.

- Do you think mixed martial arts are now superior to boxing in popularity?

- I think no. Boxing has been popular for several centuries, but now MMA is in great demand. And that’s great. In my opinion, since this is a mixed style, it draws all martial arts. And boxing, and wrestling, and hand-to-hand fighting - everyone benefits from this.

- In your opinion, who is the best boxer of recent years ?

- Probably, it is worth recalling that Floyd Mayweather was recognized as the boxer of the decade.

“Do you agree with that?”

- Of course, you can still recall Manny Pacquiao, who owned belts in eight weight categories and left a huge mark in boxing. But Mayweather did not lose to anyone throughout his long career. And to remain a champion and maintain such a high level for a long time is very difficult.

- And in MMA?

- I’m worse acquainted with this species, but I would single out our compatriot Khabib Nurmagomedov. He defeated stellar Irish Conor McGregor and can claim the title of best.

• Dmitry Kudryashov - about the best boxer of the last decade

- Your fight with Vaclav Peysar caused a serious resonance. How likely is a rematch?

- If he wants and it will be interesting to the viewer, then I am ready.

- After the first fight, you had no feeling that you lost?

- There is a saying about a fighting dog. When she fights, she does not understand whether she wins or loses. Just enjoy the process. If they raised my hand, then I won.

- What did the coach tell you after that fight?

- Most often, he is dissatisfied with me, because I do not always perform installations. We will analyze why everything turned out that way and what to avoid in the future in order to go out and gain the upper hand more confidently.

- If Vaclav made the condition that the revenge take place in the Czech Republic or in any other country, but not in Russia, would you agree?

- It doesn't matter to me where to box, the ring is everywhere square.

- What are your goals now?

- I have one goal from the very beginning of classes: I still want to become a world champion. Until this is achieved, it is wrong to spray on something else and set other tasks.

- Now they talk a lot about whether boxers should go to the Olympic Games in Tokyo in neutral status. According to the Secretary General of the Boxing Federation of Russia Umar Kremlev, no. What do you think?

- This is the position of the Kremlin. However, there is still an opinion of the athletes themselves, who have devoted their whole life to sports and want to show themselves at the main sporting event of the four-year period. Therefore, you first need to talk with the guys, and then make some decisions. In addition, to go to the Olympics, you still need to get out there - just before the qualification tournament.