"The public is worried about the" romantic image "of Alexander": ACA head Yatsenko about the battles of Emelianenko with Ismailov and Koklyaev

- Did the press conference with the participation of Alexander Emelianenko and Magomed Ismailov go according to the plan?

“Yes, without a doubt.” We had no fears that everything might go wrong. Of course, the public is worried about the "romantic image" of Alexander, as he himself likes to call it. But, firstly, we have signed a contract for the fight. Secondly, we have long been familiar with Emelianenko. We knew what and how it would be. At some point, understanding grew into confidence.

- When they heard that Emelianenko was detained in Anapa, how did they react?

“I knew the details of what happened, that there was nothing special.” Therefore, it reacted quite simply. I thought Alexander would not be disturbed by a short rest. Perhaps it was this situation that led to the end of his “vacation” and forced him to resume training.

- To conclude a contract with such a fighter is a serious risk. Aren't you afraid that before the fight, Alexander will slip into another story?

- If you mean his romantic adventures, then I do not worry about it.

- Why?

- He has already gone to the club “Akhmat” and started training. Moreover, he argued with the club leader that he would not drink for a year. They even bet on it. I do not think that Emelianenko wants to just give his Mercedes.

- But the battle can be canceled for other reasons ...

- Athletes are living people. No one is safe from injuries. I would not want this to happen, but this can happen to everyone. For example, the battle of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson was postponed four times.

- Therefore, you are not sure that the fight between Emelianenko and Ismailov will really take place?

- I have absolute confidence that both the ASA and the fighters will make every effort to ensure that this battle takes place.

- What sanctions await a fighter if the fight is canceled through his fault?

- In any standard agreement between a league and a fighter, everything is spelled out. This is a standard procedure. There are penalties, reimbursement of expenses, etc. The amount is very large.

- More than the cost of fighters preparing for the battle?

- Of course. Any standard contract stipulates that in case of cancellation of a fight, the athlete must reimburse the promotion a certain amount. But, among other things, expenses that were spent on the promotion of the match can be transferred to it. And given the fact that he heads the card, compensation becomes colossal.

- How much?

- We can assume that this is a sum of funds comparable to the costs of organizing the entire event.

- Did you expect that the communication between Emelianenko and Ismailov will take place in the format of an exchange of jokes, and not taunts and harsh accusations?

- I am a supporter of good thrash current. Alexander fights for the first time in the ACA, so earlier we had no opportunity to evaluate his actions during such skirmishes. As for Magomed, he never poured dirt on his opponents. Limited to jokes. We can say that during the press conference they competed in wit. This is exactly what we expected.

- Were you sure you could avoid stiff squabbles?

- Yes. They expected that there would be no dirt, as is often the case with the Americans. That holy things will not be touched, obscene words are used.

- When promoting fights, many promotions, in particular the UFC, focus on scandals between fighters with abundant use of thrash current. Does ACA not do this?

- Not just at ACA. This applies to most Russian promotions. People from the post-Soviet space have a different mentality. Fortunately, we have not yet completely Western thinking.

- What do you have in mind?

- There fighters can “rinse” mom, dad, family, tell dirty things, using foul language. Then fight and then hug the enemy and say: “I love you. We showed a cool duel. ” How can you relate to a person after he has told you so many nasty things? It is not right. This should not be.

- In Russia, there are fighters using the western version of the thrash current?

- There are athletes who have traveled to America and watched what is happening there. Then they began to confuse our reality a little with what they saw there. Do not do this. It is necessary to remain within the bounds of decency. In the mentality of the Russian people there is hostility to such filth. Everyone should understand that groundless insults can lead to serious consequences.

- What?

- Similar conflicts can be resolved not only within the cell. Everything can go much further. Americans are much easier on words. Perhaps they do not have to confirm their actions. In Russia, it is taken differently.

- Do you expect that as you approach the fight, the press conference with the participation of the fighters will be replete with dirty thrash current?

- Not. It seems to me that Emelianenko and Ismailov are very respectful to each other and will not allow themselves to be superfluous. I think they will continue to try to make fun of each other, to push morally. This can apply to both skills in the cell and lifestyle. But the honor and dignity of the opponent, his family and loved ones will not affect.

- At the moment, the fight between Emelianenko and Ismailov is one of the main events of the year in Russian MMA. Should we expect the same major fights in the ACA in 2020?

- Of course, the ACA intends to organize several more fights that will attract the attention of not only fans of mixed martial arts, but also an outside audience. In terms of hype, this battle goes beyond the MMA community. The ups and downs of this duel are watched by people who are not even interested in sports in general, but watch the stars and social life. Similar conclusions can be drawn from reviews on social networks.

- Can we expect the ACA to focus on the near-sport component of the fight?

- We will not go beyond sports. It will be a battle between athletes, not hairdressers and butterfly lovers.

- In your opinion, can the duel between Emelianenko and Ismailov be called the largest in the history of ACA?

- If we take hype in the information space as a criterion, then the fight Emelianenko - Ismailov is really the most resonant in the history of the league. In addition, over the years the organization has existed, there has not yet been a fight for the sake of which one of the athletes went up two weight categories.

- Can you name a few more fights that were the closest in scale to the duel between Emelianenko and Ismailov?

- Marat Balaev vs. Salman Zhamaldaev. Initially, I personally did not perceive this fight as a big event. But, like most fans, as a result, I recognized him as a fight with the prefix “super”. This happened due to the courage of the athletes, passions, the clash of great characters.

- Was Balaev’s battle with Diego Brandao less loud?

- In my opinion, this fight was inferior in terms of information. You can recall the rematch between Eugene Goncharov and Tony Johnson. It was a huge intrigue for MMA fans.

- In the UFC, the success of their tournaments is measured by ticket sales and paid broadcasts. What is it measured in ACA?

“Among other things, the ATA pays great attention to the brightness of the battles themselves. But the organization also pays attention to the number of tickets sold and paid broadcasts. As for PPV, the post-Soviet space is not so simple. I will not say that our figures are comparable to the UFC.

- What is the situation in the stands?

- Not a single Russian league sells as many tickets as the ACA.

- How many average tickets for a tournament does the championship sell?

- I think about 5-6 thousand. Of course, some shows attracted more attention, others - a little less. We are working on increasing these numbers.

- How many spectators do you expect in the stands at ACA 107?

- We plan to sell all tickets, the total number of which is about 12 thousand.

- As you know, this tournament will be the first in a series of Grandpower. Can you tell us more about this?

- These shows will feature confrontations or fighters, whose presence is guaranteed to cause an increased interest of the audience. The organization of such tournaments will require a lot of money, but can provide us with a full house in the stands.

- How often does the ACA plan to host the Grandpower show?

- Two, maximum three times a year.

- Speaking of foreign shows ... Outside the country, is ACA in demand as much as in Russia?

- No, because the ACA is a Russian organization, as a result of which domestic fighters take part in it. At the moment, we are working to increase our audience abroad.

- Last year, the ACA held tournaments in Poland and Kazakhstan. What are your plans for 2020?

- We plan to expand the geography. In the first half of the year we have planned shows in Kazakhstan, Poland and the Czech Republic. As for the second, we intend to organize a tournament in at least one other European country. We are in the process of negotiations.

- Do you plan to visit countries considered to be the progenitors of MMA - Brazil, Japan?

- In 2020, we are not going to hold tournaments in foreign countries. The ACA roster has a certain number of Brazilian athletes, but certain conditions must be provided for the organization of the show. We are working on it. As for Japan, this country has not yet been considered.

- Speaking of Brazil, what conditions are you talking about?

- We are interested in the broadcasting of our tournament in the territory of this country. In addition, there should be partners interested in promoting our brand, creating a joint history. Currently, work is underway in this direction.

- Why are there no plans for Japan?

- Judging by the reports of the marketing group, in this country ACA has a minimal audience. We are watched in Europe, Brazil, the CIS countries, but in Japan the numbers are noticeably lower.

- During the press conference, you said that in the future ACA intends to move away from the slogan of Less Show. More Fighting ("Less than a show. More fights"). What caused this decision?

- This slogan was proclaimed back in the days when the league was called ACB (Absolute Championship Berkut). Then the bet was made precisely on the colorfulness of the battles. But no one has canceled the information component. The duel between Emelianenko and Ismailov was already perceived by many as a change of course.

- What are the cardinal changes?

- In the past, a kind of constructive minimalism was present in the ACB. They were engaged in brand promotion, but paid insufficient attention to the promotion of the battles themselves: they did not create stories, they did not arrange from this show.

- Can the press conference with the participation of Emelianenko and Ismailov be called a show?

- Undoubtedly. In light of this, this slogan is already irrelevant. In the future we plan to hold similar events in order to promote the tournament, to tell a wider audience about it, and not just to MMA fans.

- In your understanding, sports and shows are inextricably linked?

- Of course. I note that this is not a concert activity, but there should be elements of the show. It’s not necessary to ape, go beyond, as in Western promotions.

- Can we say that the organization was affected by one of the most high-profile events in Russia in 2019 - the fight between Emelianenko and Koklyaev?

- Not. I did not watch it. I saw only cuts in social networks. I don’t know who else spoke at this event. I only know that the fight between Alexander and Mikhail took place according to the rules of boxing.

“Was it so uninteresting to you?”

- That's not the point. Just on the same day, the ACA held a tournament in Alma-Ata. There was no time.

- There was no desire to enjoy the performance of Emelianenko after the fact?

- What is there to revise? I've seen so many fights in my life that I should devote special time to this ... I knew in advance how it would all end. It was not difficult to predict.

- Do you think such events contribute to the popularization of martial arts in general and boxing in particular?

- In my opinion, such a statement is very doubtful. If a powerlifter had a fight with a combat sambo wrestler, then what benefit can boxing get here? In this case, the sport itself was in the background, everyone was talking specifically about Emelianenko and Koklyaev.

Perhaps a positive role was played by the fact that this fight was watched by people who were not particularly interested in the battles in the ring. Each had its own audience: Mikhail had Kachkovskaya, and Alexander had a fighting and “romantic” one. But mostly people came to this show because of the names.

- In general, the performance of representatives of other sports in the ring can benefit boxing?

- At one time, Alexander had already fought according to these rules. And that event really contributed to the popularization of boxing, because the famous MMA fighter came to another sport. The same applies to the duel of Conor McGregor with Floyd Mayweather or the possible entry into the ring of Fedor Emelianenko or Khabib Nurmagomedov.

- Is Emelianenko’s invitation to the ACA related to the hype around his person after this fight?

- Not. Thoughts about attracting him were long ago. In addition, at the same moment, Ismailov expressed a desire to fight with Emelianenko, after which the matchmakers substantively contacted Alexander. So we began to organize the battle.

- Earlier, ACA management stated that it was ready to consider the possibility of combining with other Russian promotions. How do you see it?

- As far as I remember, Mayrbek Khasiev said that the ACA is ready to team up with Russian promotions. And not with one, but with several. The themes that today are something of themselves: they have an impressive roster, financial opportunities for holding worthy events.

- What is the purpose of a possible unification?

- To compete with the strongest promotions of the planet for leadership in the global MMA.

- In your opinion, is it possible to create a single Russian MMA league?

- Hard to tell. I can only confirm that we are ready. But this should be a clear partnership for everyone. It should be carried out solely with the aim of becoming leaders in the global MMA. If someone has a desire, then this is possible. But, except for Khasiev, no one said this, everyone pursues their petty-proprietary goals.

- Have the ACA ever considered the possibility of following the example of the M-1 Global and becoming a kind of platform for growing fighters for the UFC?

- No, such goals have never been set. I don’t think the UFC offers anyone like that. Today they do not need it. Rather, the leadership of the league itself decides where to move in this direction.

- Why did the M-1 Global go this way?

- I do not know. I understand when regional leagues go for it, where the fighters begin their careers. If her promoter concurrently is the manager of these athletes and subsequently gives them promotion to a higher level, then his motivation is clear. Thus, he can earn on them.

- What are the goals of the ACA for the next couple of years?

- Enter new territories, gain an audience, and develop your fighters. It’s more interesting for us to grow our own than to sign stars from the outside. Although this we do not exclude. But in general, I would like to raise athletes, in terms of popularity comparable to Fedor Emelianenko and Khabib Nurmagomedov.