The duel between Magomed Ismailov and Vladimir Mineev can be safely called one of the most anticipated in Russian mixed martial arts in 2021.

Talks about holding a return bout have been going on throughout the last year and in the coming days this issue can be finally resolved.

According to the owner of AMC Fight Nights Amir Muradov, the promotion is currently in active negotiations with the Bald Predator, and if a contract is signed, it will announce the organization of a revenge as soon as possible.

According to Muradov, he personally took over the negotiations with Ismailov, as he is his close friend, noting that the head of the promotion Kamil Hajiyev did not take part in this process.

The owner of AMC Fight Nights said that currently Magomed took time to think and in the coming days he should decide exactly where he intends to pursue his career.

“They (negotiations. -

RT

) are really going on and have been going on for quite some time.

Magomed went to bed with an answer ... We are discussing the fight with Mineev.

After the ACA tournament, when he fought with Shtyrkov, he already had to discuss with him how to move on.

We have to plan the fight - when we do it.

Everything was delayed: either I flew away, then he was in Makhachkala.

They couldn't see each other in any way.

He has unfinished business with ACA.

Therefore, yesterday I waited until he went to talk with the management ... Now for two or three days and there will be an exact answer from Magomed - he is moving with ACA or will fight with us, ”Muradov said in an interview with journalist Alexander Lyutikov.

Ismailov signed a contract with ACA in early 2019 and played four fights in it in two years, in each of which he won.

The fighter took turns taking the upper hand over Vyacheslav Vasilevsky, Artyom Frolov and Alexander Emelianenko, and in December 2020 he won by unanimous decision over Ivan Shtyrkov.

For Magomed, this battle was the last one in agreement with the promotion.

Immediately after the end of the battle with Shtyrkov, the media began to discuss a possible revenge between Ismailov and Mineev.

This was facilitated by the fighters themselves, who regularly exchanged barbs both in interviews and on social networks.

Gradually, all this began to resemble the promotion process, when both athletes are trying with all their might to stir up interest in the future confrontation.

The climax was an incident at the AMC Fight Nights Winter Cup show, during which Magomed and Vladimir had a fight in a cage.

It is noteworthy that for several months the press also widely discussed the possible organization of a fight between Ismailov and Alexander Shlemenko.

Magomed himself has repeatedly expressed a desire to face off against the ex-Bellator champion, but the ACA were not interested in this.

In particular, this was announced by the head of the league, Alexei Yatsenko.

At the same time, Fight Nights repeatedly said that they were ready to arrange a fight between Ismailov and Shlemenko, and the other day the prospect of this fight began to emerge even more clearly.

The contract for one performance with the organization was signed by Alexander's teammate and ex-Bellator welterweight champion Andrei Koreshkov, which could be regarded as an additional help in attracting Storm.

But as Muradov said, recently Ismailov changed his mind and completely focused on revenge with Mineev.

According to him, the fighter did not abandon the idea of ​​fighting Shlemenko, but he no longer considers it a priority.

“Magomed wants a fight with Vladimir.

After everything that happened, they corresponded personally.

We wanted to see each other once at a time.

I talked.

Said it would be ridiculous.

Still, they are athletes ... If the contract is signed, the fight will take place in September ... The magician fought four fights without rest.

Prepared without interruption, plus the media component.

In addition, by this time, there may be relief due to the pandemic.

It will be possible to gather fans, ”Muradov suggested.

The head of AMC Fight Nights also confirmed that Ismailov's total fee for the return fight with Mineev could amount to the same 30 million rubles that the fighter himself recently spoke about.

He called this the most anticipated battle in Russian MMA and expressed confidence that the negotiations with Vladimir would go without any problems.

True, hardly anyone doubted this.

Mineev has been doing everything possible for a long time to meet Ismailov in a cage and is not shy about overt provocations.

Suffice it to recall how he challenged Magomed at the end of the tournament in memory of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, in the main battle of which he defeated the GFC middleweight champion Dauren Yermekov.

At the same time, the other day, opponents again arranged an exchange of views on social networks.

The first to speak was Ismailov, who posted the video on his Instagram page.

He once again recalled the chronology of their confrontation and told under what condition he was ready for revenge.

“I once said that this will not happen.

I don't like throwing words into the wind.

I gave my word that this confrontation will not happen, but there is one nuance.

If Vladimir Mineev stays with me in some room for one hour, let someone outside use the keys to close this door and detect exactly one hour.

We will only be in the room or any room for one hour.

When we get out of there, we will not tell anyone or explain anything.

Everything that was in the room will remain in the room.

But from the moment we get out, set a date and let's fight.

Let's go into the cage and solve the issue, ”Ismailov said.

Mineev's reaction was not long in coming.

The AMC Fight Nights champion interpreted Ismailov's statement as an attempt to avoid a duel with him and assured that he was not going to follow the lead of his former opponent.

“Ismailov's post about being imprisoned in a room and everything that was said in order not to go into the cage with me, I consider him an official refusal to fight.

It is already clear to everyone that he will not fight me honestly.

And I'm not going to play his vile games, and it is so clear that it will not rust after me.

Let the Maga already decide who he is: a hero of the martial arts industry or a gangster type, "Mineev wrote.