“I do not need much popularity”: Jan about the champion status, his team and the possibility of moving to another division

- Did you manage to recover after the victory? Or the press and the fans still do not give a break?

- Yes, now there is more free time, since you do not need to think about a duel, an opponent, a belt, about what responsibility lies with you. I’m resting because I know that I did my job perfectly. Of course, journalists ask a lot of questions, but I try to weed them out. I will always find free time for those who were near at the beginning of my journey to the UFC. And with the rest I have no desire to communicate. I don't need great popularity, I don't strive for it.

- In any case, your new status implies increased attention of fans, advertising obligations, communication with the press, which often takes energy and distracts from the training process. How do you intend to deal with this aspect of champion life?

- Yes, there is more responsibility, you have to take on obligations. But I will try to keep myself in focus. I understand that I have to protect the belt, and therefore, do a lot of work. Therefore, I stipulate in advance when I have free time for certain events. I try to keep up with everything and not forget that I am a professional athlete.

- You intend to conduct a tour with a champion belt in the cities of Siberia. Have you been invited by other regions or even countries?

- Other countries - no. As for Russia, I understand that such a tour takes time. That is why in the first place I would like to visit those cities where I trained. I do not do this for the sake of the media, I need to meet with young people, guys whom I know or who follow me. For me it is really important.

- You and Jose Aldo lived in the same hotel. Did you manage to chat after the fight?

“No, I haven't seen him.” Crossed with his team, they congratulated me on the victory. I think we both only respect each other. The duel turned out to be very tough and uncompromising, as I expected. I understood that a person came to my weight class to take what belongs to me. If I give you moral weakness, they will move me.

- Is it possible to say that this was your most difficult fight in the UFC?

- I think so, from many points of view. This is a psychological moment, and the conditions in which he passed, and the fact that the belt in the best league in the world was at stake. All this created additional pressure. In addition, he felt responsible to people who were nearby. After all, I am such a person who loves to control everything. It is important for me that each member of the team maintains the general energy, while performing their duties.

- Who is responsible for what?

- John Hutchinson is a boxing trainer. We have been working with him for a year and a half. He is very pleasant to me as a person, because he always does his job with his soul. Manager Sayat Abdrakhmanov solves issues with the media, is responsible for the schedule. Alexey always knows where we need to go. Wrestler Denis Lavrentiev and kickboxer Ilyas Khamzin help me with training and weight races. They are my friends, we have been together for several years. UFC nutritionists work on my diet.

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Posted by Peter "No Mercy" Jan (@petr_yan) Jul 15, 2020 at 2:19 PDT

It's nice that the team has a balance. The main thing is that I should be comfortable with the people who surround me. Sometimes they ask me why I am not going to the USA. But I train at Tiger Muay Thai in Thailand, in Yekaterinburg and Omsk. And he won it on this baggage. If something works, why change it?

- On “Fight Island”, you met with your past rival Juraia Feiber. What did you talk to him about?

- Yes, I knew that in the tournament he will be a second for one of the fighters. We discussed the match, future plans, rivals. Yuraya congratulated me and invited me to his place.

- If there is a proposal to move to another division, would you rather go up in featherweight or go down to flyweight?

- Probably, I would have risen to a higher category. If I wanted to, I could also lose weight, but I’m not interested. I want to test myself against stronger and more dangerous rivals. I understand that in such battles a significant role is played by the psychological factor and technical aspects.

- Previously, you complained that your opponents ignored you, but now each of them is trying to challenge you himself. How nice to see this turn of events?

“Of course, it's nice when people line up for me.” Now they need me, they want to take my belt. Therefore, the fighters will run, trying to attract attention. And we'll see who and what said before, how they behaved. And already from this we will build on the choice of the next opponent.

- Almost every fight in the UFC you came out with injuries. Were you completely healthy before the fight with Aldo?

- No, from a physical point of view, I did not feel 100%. But he was mentally ready for 150%, was tuned, motivated and charged for a good fight.

- On the night before the fight, employees of the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) came to your hotel room. How justified was such a late visit?

- Yes, it was an unreasonable act on their part. We adapted to American time, so the rise was scheduled for 4 in the morning. Doping officers arrived at 10 pm, at that time I had already fallen asleep. This was very unpleasant, since usually tests are already taken in the arena. I think either the UFC had an agreement with USADA, or they themselves did not understand that this was not accepted.

- How would you rate the organization and security measures on "Boytsovsky Island"? Did you get the impression that you had to pass too many tests for coronavirus?

- Everything worked very smoothly and accurately. Woke up, brought to the place. You don't need to think about what you will eat or drink, everything is given out. In addition, I liked the atmosphere. As for the tests, I do not think that there were too many of them. Better to protect yourself than to overlook. Everywhere there were different masks, antiseptics, strangers were not allowed.

- Would you like to come back?

- Yes, of course, if the opportunity presents itself, then I would hold my fights here. By the way, the first time I had to speak without spectators. It was difficult to predict how this moment will affect me, since a large audience usually adds motivation. But I was comfortable, I heard the team prompts well and immediately reacted to them.

- Did you have time to review the fight?

- Yes.

- The impression was that the fight should have been stopped already in the first round ...

- In the first round, I hit Aldo in the liver so hard that he even screamed. Then he began to finish him off, but there was little time left. Yes, and the referee got patient and in any case would have allowed the opponent to "survive". In the second five-minute period, I missed a lot of unpleasant lowki on the lower leg. Honestly, in preparation we missed this point, although we knew that Jose usually carries out such attacks on the hip. But it was a good experience. Now I know that you need to pay attention to everything.

- Why didn’t you punch him in the corps in the second round?

- In accordance with the plan, the first two rounds I had to crush and pressure him, work on his legs, trying to punch on his stomach, to catch his breath, make him miss, lose his temper. I had to change the stance because I hit my leg. Yes, I had to find the fighting distance again, but I still continued to adhere to my plan.

“What makes you invincible?”

- Probably, this is hard work, which is bearing fruit. In addition, a kind of fighting core, some kind of flair. In moments when you are being knocked down and you cannot do what you should do, you need to focus. I probably have it too. This is called Fighting IQ. It manifests itself when they give you an opponent. Both of you are preparing, studying each other, it is important to be able to readjust so as not to miss a blow at the crucial moment.

- Maybe it's Siberian tenacity and hardening?

- Yes, they also give me a lot. I went through many different situations, fights, but here I work, I earn a living. So, you need to seriously approach and develop. There is no limit to perfection, and in every aspect there is still work to do. For example, over striking techniques, over wrestling. In preparation for each match, we try to add something. I am young, and I have room to grow, I will try to progress.

- Why are two regions leading in Russian martial arts - Siberia and the Caucasus?

- I think the whole thing is in the conditions. There are many nuggets in Siberia, guys who want to achieve something, to become someone in order to break out of the routine. Why is it for someone who has everything, who is always full? It is necessary to be prepared for crazy work, for constant restrictions, for discipline. So it is with the Caucasus. This is ideology, education. Since childhood, the child does not smoke or drink, but goes to the gym. I would like to see more people with such views.