"USADA checks almost every month": fighter Yang on allegations of doping, hobbies outside the ring and bites of jellyfish

"Would not advertise whiskey, like Conor"

- Now you often have to participate in press conferences and various events. How accustomed and comfortable are you in the spotlight?

- I can’t say that this role is familiar to me, but that’s my job. It is necessary to adapt and find the time, since I took up this. Participating in press conferences is also an interesting experience.

- Are you ready for the fact that with increasing popularity, will the level of both media commitments and the attention of fans change?

- Oh sure. If there are victories, then subsequent promotion in the media begins to take more and more time. When there are a lot of trainings, you have to refuse this, but in periods when there are fewer of them, it is quite possible to devote time to this. The main thing is that one does not interfere with the other.

- Are there things that you would never advertise for anything?

- I think it concerns alcohol and cigarettes. I think that sitting with a bottle is wrong for an athlete.

- That is, you would not consider the option of making your own whiskey, as Conor McGregor did?

- Not. In addition, our country has never been famous for making such drinks.

- And how do you feel about Conor’s work in this direction? After all, the UFC helps him in this: he can calmly appear at a press conference with a glass.

- This is his right. And if the UFC allows this, then they are not against it. In addition, they themselves make money on this. Alcohol advertising is often found in the field of martial arts, and even promote vodka.

- In order to receive advertising contracts in the USA, one must have a good command of English. You are currently conducting an interview through an interpreter. Are you planning to work on a language or do your training take first place?

- Of course, knowledge of the language is important. My progress would be more effective and more extensive if I spoke English well, but so far I have been able to prove everything only with my fights, entertainment, and intrigue outside the octagon. But in the future I will consciously take up the study of the language. Perhaps it’s enough just to go to the same America for six months, to train there. Khabib Nurmagomedov acts like that. When you plunge into the environment, it helps a lot.

- At the same time, you actively conduct Twitter, and write there in English.

- Yes, my manager is responsible for the account. But, of course, everything is agreed with me. It just translates well. And not like me, through online services.

- Do you have options to train in American halls?

- I can’t say that there are specific proposals. But a lot depends on how much you generally need it and whether you want it. I have the opportunity to go to America for six months and a year, but there is not much desire.

- Is Thailand better?

- I’m already used to preparing there, I trained there from the first fights. In addition, in the USA there are several halls where guys with whom I can meet in a cage are engaged. This is also one of the reasons why I do not want to go there yet. But in the future I think I will definitely do it.

"Game of Thrones" did not watch "

- After all, you have a fairly small circle of sparring partners, and these people are unknown to a wide circle of fans ...

- Now I moved to Yekaterinburg, signed a contract with the Archangel Michael club, so today I stand for this team and promote it. We have a lot of guys there, but when I leave for the training camp, not always someone can go with me. But we still try to professionally approach the matter, and before each fight we invite coaches of a certain qualification and sparring partners similar to a future opponent. There are no problems with this. Just from time to time you need to make adjustments to the process.

- Tell us about your interests. Since interest in the West is growing for you now, I want it to be about foreign music and foreign cinema ...

“I used to enjoy fighting movies with Jean-Claude van Damme.” In general, I love foreign cinema. Of course, in this regard, Hollywood comes first.

- And what is your favorite music genre?

- I listen to the most different music, according to my mood. Something heavy, such as metal or Rammstein, I do not like. And so I can listen to something calm and hits.

- Do you have a favorite performer?

- Not. Although I used to like Michael Jackson.

- And your favorite series?

- Honestly, it’s hard for me to even remember any foreign series. "Game of Thrones" did not even watch.

- Have you ever been addicted to video games?

- Once played a little Counter-Strike. But that was not my serious hobby.

- Have you played in the UFC ?

- No, I don’t buy it, but when they add me in the next release, I’ll buy it for my son to play. I myself don’t really know how.

- Do you have favorite sports besides MMA ?

- I like paintball. As for, for example, football and hockey, I’m not a fan, I don’t really look. I used to play futsal for Norilsk Nickel myself, but now I prefer extreme sports - freestyle, motocross.

- Who is the best MMA fighter of all time?

- I think, Fedor Emelianenko. We can say that for Russia he is an ambassador of mixed martial arts. But today in every weight has its own champion, which you can pay attention to.

- Who is your dream rival right now?

- There is no such. For me, the main goal is a belt. Henry Sehudo is at the moment, but it doesn't matter to me who he will have. I want to conquer it.

“You said not so long ago that you have a desire to face off with TJ Dillashaw ...”

- Yes it is. We have a similar style, both of us are trying to conduct fighting in the stance, both with a blow, each of them has early victories. It would be interesting to me, because I always watched his fights. I consider him a strong opponent. I think our battle will take place. About a year will pass and TJ will return after disqualification. After all, he is very famous and will surely immediately be in the top of the rating. Then we will fight.

- That is, you are not confused by his doping story?

- Not. Yes, he is caught and does not deny anything. Of course, there will be very close attention to him. He will be checked. But on the day of the battle, he will be clean.

. @ PetrYanUFC is a beast 😎 # GetMoneyChallenge 💰pic.twitter.com / 5ETFBait8o

“If I took doping, I would have already written about it”

- When you performed in Russia, your rivals said that you also use prohibited means ...

- Yes, it was, but let's take my duel with Magomed Magomedov at ACB. After the first there were questions, they say, as it were, lasted five rounds. But in the second one he breathed in the same way for five rounds, he was just rational, more economical in his actions. I knew that I needed to give a vis-a-vis work.

- Have you been tested for doping?

- Yes, both before the return fight with Magomedov, and before the defense of the title with Mateus Mattos. If ACB found something from me, this would be known.

- Would press reports appear?

- Yes, the results would be published.

- After that, you decided to sign a contract with the UFC, but you didn’t do it right away. What was the reason for the delay?

- I broke the cruciate ligament, so for six or seven months I could not reach an agreement with the Absolute Fighting Championship. They promised to resume negotiations when I will be in the necessary conditions. But many immediately began to say that Peter Jan was cleaned of chemistry. And I was ready to accept the fight in a couple of months. But I will not scream about it on the whole Internet. Plus, at that moment I did not have enough resources and media attention to make statements.

- How often does USADA check you ?

- Over a year and a half checked about ten times. It turns out almost every month. I think that if they found something, I would not be here.

- Have you been checked not only in Russia?

- Yes, I could be in Omsk, Yekaterinburg, Thailand, the USA - they came to me more than once. Both before and after the match, and during the acclimatization period.

- Many do not like to talk about injuries before the fight, so that they would not suspect anything. Now, could you recall the moments when you performed at the UFC while not quite healthy?

- In all fights, except the last. Then I was healthy, but the other five went out with injuries.

- Fought on the character?

- Yes. I felt with my fighting intellect that I could defeat my opponent. I understood that even with a broken leg I would go, and in order to stop, I would need to be cut down. And don’t give up. Before the first fight (with Teruto Ishihara. - RT ), I had a fracture of my toe with a shift, it was impossible to advance. But during the fight I forgot about the pain, I didn’t feel it, I just knew that you couldn’t beat with this foot. Then there were infectious diseases, and before the fifth duel, poisonous jellyfish in Thailand bit me. On the day of departure, the temperature was 39.5.

- How did it happen?

- Thailand had a jellyfish season, and I planned a one-hour swim. A lot of people then went to hospitals, but they immediately got droppers there, and I had to fly away the next day. The body began to burn while still in the water, and after a twelve-hour flight, all the juices seemed to be squeezed out of me. The condition was completely killed, but it was still necessary to drive off the weight. I didn’t want to fight, but the battle with Jimmy Rivera was coming.

- A serious contender.

- Yes. The body was exhausted, but I still went to the duel, but I must be a professional. But then I just saw enough videos with Alexander Usik, who before each fight makes a swim of 6-7 kilometers. And I decided to check myself too.

- He also trains to hold his breath.

- Yes, this is such a breathing technique, I saw it with boxers. They poured plates with water and trained. This is a good technique.

- Where does sports hunger and motivation to perform in spite of everything come from?

“Indeed, when you are full, when you have everything, you probably won't do anything.” But when you have dreams and desires - you will. And I have them.

“Is that your motivation?”

- Not only. I still have someone to turn my shoulder over: after the speeches, I manage to help with housing, for example, or with something else. It motivates me a lot.

- But what about the passion for fighting?

- If I didn’t love them, I wouldn’t fight. In addition, I understand that the athlete's age is short. After a while I will not be interesting. We need to work now, so that later I can also do something.

- Where do you see yourself after your career in MMA?

“I think there are many areas where I could come in handy.” It's just that I approach any business responsibly, no matter what.

- The fact that you yourself grew up in a large family taught you a lot?

- Oh sure. It was that he was wearing his brother’s clothes, he shared something with others. The elders always looked after the younger ones. In such a situation, you grow up earlier, you know the price of many things, you understand how difficult they get. For me it played a huge role and became a school of life. But I am glad that this is how it turned out, because if it were otherwise, perhaps I would not have achieved anything. And it is not known how they would behave today or how they spent the 10-15 million rubles that I get for the battle.

- What do you think would be your life if not for sports?

- Hard to tell. I got into various troubles, even when I was already in sports. Honestly, I don’t even want to think about it. Thoughts materialize. It’s better to just think about the future, and now for me the most important thing is the belt.