"Martial arts chose me themselves"
- How much time do you plan to spend at the training camp?
- For the first time I have to conduct a full-fledged three-month camp.
I spent eight days preparing for the first fight in the UFC, two weeks for the second, and four weeks for the third.
But I think, if you keep yourself in shape, six or seven weeks is enough.
I train at least once a day, seven days a week, wherever I am - in the Czech Republic, Poland or Uzbekistan.
I will be in Tashkent for two weeks, a week in the mountains, and then I will return.
For six weeks I will fly to Poland for sparring, directly prepare for the fight with Gerald Merschart.
- Is combat sambo your basic discipline?
- Not really.
I am a drummer, and my first kind of martial arts was kickboxing.
And I got into sambo after I moved to Russia.
My father had an accident and at the age of 17-18 my brother and I had to leave for Tomsk to work.
There I began to participate in tournaments, met the medalist and winner of the world championships, coach Rudik Aslyanyan.
Thanks to sports, I am where I am now.
Because even then I understood that I was faced with a choice - either sport or idleness.
- Why did you choose MMA afterwards?
- I am often asked about this, and I answer that the martial arts chose me themselves.
The Almighty gives everyone some kind of craft.
If you obey him, then you succeed.
Of course, many people complain that they cannot find their purpose.
It was like that for me too.
I am from a small town, from a small hall, where there was not even hot water and the roof was leaking.
But I started training with Aslanyan, tried not to miss classes, washed my clothes in the gym, because I lived at the base and there was no opportunity to rent an apartment.
To earn money, he worked at a construction site.
Then they noticed me, invited me to work in a security agency.
Thanks to the mentor, it was possible to defend the title of CCM, obtain documents.
I began to walk calmly around the city.
- Initially, you did not have either Russian or Uzbek citizenship?
- Yes.
But then our president changed and began to issue citizenship to those people who have been living in Uzbekistan for a certain period of time.
This was not possible before.
And my parents got a passport, and so did I.
This made my life very much easier, because now you can fly around the world, move freely throughout the CIS.
And then visas were needed everywhere.
Now I still have a residence permit for the Czech Republic, my wife and daughter live there.
- Was it hard to realize that some people are more disposed towards you only when you have already achieved something?
- I take it calmly, I don't care. I know my path and the people who were with me from the beginning, supported and believed in me both when I lost and when they did something wrong. And those who discussed me then now come and want to be near. They think I'm stupid and don't understand anything. But life has taught me a lot, especially that it is necessary to surround yourself with the right people. The Almighty gives you something bad to check, and then something 10 times better. And he also looks at how you use it. For example, first you get sick, and then you get stronger. And he looks where you will spend this power. If you do everything right, it will reward again. Therefore, I try to help those in need.
For example, I have a large team of 30 people and I pay our fees in full - both accommodation and meals.
We have very good guys, not only from the capital, but also from all over Uzbekistan.
They want to achieve something, but not everyone has the opportunity.
I will not hide that high-ranking people help me.
I support my partners, and they, in turn, will help the younger ones someday.
I'm used to sharing with everyone.
Friends say that this is my weakness.
- Do people abuse it?
- It happens, but I am what I am, I cannot refuse anyone.
- What
emotions do you
experience
watching combat sambo competitions from the tribune?
Do you have no desire to go to the tatami yourself?
- Not. I have been doing MMA for 10 years, for me only they exist now, I really like this sport. Guys from jiu jitsu and sambo come to us. They show the difference between different martial arts. On the tatami, one job, in MMA - another. At the same time, many people from combat sambo show good results in mixed martial arts. But as a child, Fedor Emelianenko was my standard. I was always surprised how he walked with a cool head, as if he was walking around the city. I went out without emotion and won the same way. Such people are one in a million. Now the fighter wins, starts jumping, says something before the fight. And he showed everything in the cage. Calm and very religious. This is correct, a person must believe, although I do not divide people by religions, nationalities and races, for me everyone is the same.
- For you, Emelianenko is a representative of the old school, which are few now?
- Sure.
He and my parents are the only people who motivate me.
Thank God, now father and mother do not need anything, but I always wanted to give them what they deserve.
"I still respect Emelianenko and Nurmagomedov"
- If we imagine that you would have been declared for the Asian Championship in Combat Sambo, what is the probability that you would have taken a high place there?
- It is hard to say.
But houses and walls help.
If I was put there now, I think I would be mentally ready.
Of course, MMA is the most important thing, this is my whole career.
But just a walk would be possible.
You know, I have a very stable psyche, even the doctors have confirmed this.
Because I know why I am engaged in martial arts.
And it motivates me when high-ranking officials, heads of federations or the Olympic committee are patriotic and talk about the need to promote sports.
When I go abroad, I know that these people are behind me.
But the guys going up against me would have been difficult from a psychological point of view.
They are good fighters, but out of fear or respect for me, it is not so easy for them to open up.
But I also had the same emotions when I watched Alistair Overeem or Fedor on TV.
- Now there are no idols left in front of whom you feel awe?
- Not.
Of course, I still respect Emelianenko and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The second - because he proved everything to everyone and left, nevertheless keeping his word.
- Do you admit that a challenge may appear, for the sake of which he will return?
- Not.
I think he's from a different test.
Not like Conor McGregor, who gets drunk and writes in social networks "I'm leaving", "I'm coming."
- Is football serious with him?
- I think Khabib can buy the team.
Perhaps he will enter the field, play a couple of matches.
But this will be within the framework of a PR campaign, nothing more.
After all, such news will quickly spread throughout America, throughout the CIS, and in Russia he is generally considered one of the most popular people.
They follow every step, every statement - even I watch his interview and learn something.
But with such popularity, there is always a risk that your statements will be distorted.
- Do you yourself often face the fact that your words are misinterpreted?
- Of course, it happens, but I'm calm about it.
It happens that something is cut out, turned over.
For example, they wrote that I want to fight with Conor McGregor.
And I just said that, if necessary, I was ready to throw off the necessary mass.
But he could have met with Floyd Mayweather.
We communicate well, and he has been calling me for a long time to fight according to the rules of MMA.
For me, this would be a great option in terms of PR and finance.
- Mayweather calls you the best MMA fighter. Ever wondered why he singled out you?
- I do not know. For some reason, for some reason, some serious people or eminent athletes often paid attention to me, although I myself have never followed them. For example, I met Floyd in Prague. And he himself did not contact him, did not ask to be photographed. I just wondered what kind of person he was, how he behaved. I had to leave then, but the trip was canceled. So we met, we have been in touch for about 5-6 years. And he still says that I will become the best, because he sees how I train, we ran together with him, worked on our paws. He says I have a strong right hand. We have a very good relationship, Floyd even invites me to live in America. But I do not want.
By the way, it was Floyd who contributed to the growth of my popularity on social networks.
We once sat with him, and he said: "Throw off your photo, I will publish it on my Instagram so that the world knows about you."
Two days later I come back from training, and my phone is broken.
I look - 56 thousand more subscribers.
That's how I blew up all the publics.
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Publication from Makhmud Muradov (@makhmud_muradov)
- Who is your favorite boxer?
- Muhammad Ali, was and always will be.
At least Floyd might not like it (
Laughs
).
- Do you agree that in MMA it is necessary to carry out two weighings - a few days before the fight and a day a day?
- I'm all for it.
I think it would be fair - to weigh yourself, and two hours later to fight.
It is worth adding a rule that on the day of the battle it is impossible to gain more than 5% of the weight.
In ONE FC they already practice this, if I'm not mistaken, they are allowed 10%, as there have been fatalities.
But Asians are crazy people, I myself saw how the boy in the featherweight division gained 80-82 kg.
It is not clear how they are engaged in weight-lifting, it is just a pity for their body.
- Who is your toughest opponent in your weight class in the
UFC?
- I myself.
- And if we consider it from the point of view of combat sambo?
- Hard to say.
But all the Americans are in the top 15, and they are far from sambo, they have jiu jitsu, wrestling.
Only Israel Adesanya is a kickboxer.
- Against a fighter with which base is the most difficult for you to go out with?
- Does not matter.
You can prepare against any opponent, the main thing is to want.
For example, after Martin Tibura came to our gym in Poland, he won four victories in four years.
This speaks for itself.
I only work with the best.
I have a good team, good sparring partners.
-
In the
UFC, you won three victories in three fights.
Two of them were knocked out in the third round.
Is this a coincidence or a tactic?
- I always go to the fight to demonstrate the results of my work with the team.
Perhaps the opponents got tired because of the constant movement, because I have good footwork.
And I always fight with a cool head, I don't fight from the very first minutes.
I have something to lose: my country is behind me, the people who support me.
There is always a backup plan, but I will only be satisfied with the victory.
"I can still pick up the trash or wipe the floor."
- At the moment there are many sambists in mixed martial arts. Is it likely that they will dominate in the future?
- I think yes.
Because it's the same as MMA.
It is difficult to teach a boxer to fight, and it is much easier for a wrestler to master a punch.
See how Daniel Cormier hits, many have knockout blows.
- After the victory over Andrew Sanchez in January of this year, you jumped out of the octagon and ran up to Dana White. What did you tell him?
- Said he didn't
follow
me (
Laughs
).
And he thanked for the fact that the whole world stopped, but he did not cut anyone and continued to work.
Many condemned him, but he did as he saw fit.
And despite the financial losses, he remained in profit.
- How hard is it for a fighter to fight in empty stands?
- I didn’t have such a situation, but it doesn’t matter to me.
Of course, the fans charge, but if they are not in the stands, I still know that they are worried about me, even if they are on TV screens.
I know what I'm fighting for.
I have my flag on me, they believe in me.
Sometimes, I walk through the market, and an 80-year-old grandma stops me, kisses, hugs, says that she watched my fight.
And she really follows me, knows all the names.
This is the most important thing.
- Who from the Uzbek team is the most promising now both in combat sambo and in MMA?
- Muradov Team (
laughs
).
I have a team, I will not say anything about the others.
And I do not closely follow combat sambo.
I communicate only with Bakhodir Bokiev, he won gold at the World Championship in Serbia, and plays in Fight Nights.
I don’t know about the others.
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Publication from Makhmud Muradov (@makhmud_muradov)
- In many combat sports at competitions it is customary not to finish off an opponent, but in MMA this is not. How hard was it for you to accept this rule?
- If I do not finish off my opponent, he will do it.
But that's why I don't go to another sport.
Why alter or add something if the machine works?
Sooner or later, the motor will malfunction.
So it is with people.
Everyone should do their own craft.
And I love MMA, I recently opened the first international organization in Uzbekistan, the fights of which will be served by judges from Europe.
Of course, it will cost a lot, but there is no other way, because there is not a single qualified referee here.
- Considering the positions of the Uzbekistan national sambo and combat sambo teams, will you be able to bring the fighters to the level of Bellator and the UFC?
“I just want to be helpful.
Many guys outside Uzbekistan are offered fights with more serious opponents, and they have to agree, because they have no other choice.
And I want them to fight here with good opponents, improve their rating, gain experience, improve both physically and mentally.
And only then they entered the world arenas.
- Is your mission to give them what they don't have?
- What I didn't have.
I have been in this sport for a very long time, I have an idea of how to organize tournaments.
The country's top officials must see that everything can be fair and at a high level.
- It is customary for sambists to spare opponents of a lower class. Again, there is no such practice in MMA. In your opinion, will this benefit young athletes?
- Yes.
For example, I am currently organizing a fight with the participation of former UFC fighter Eric Spicely and two-time Uzbekistan champion in amateur MMA with a 0: 0 profile.
Yes, my athlete has no experience, but I am sure that he will win due to his high level.
And for him it will be of great help that he took over the representative of the UFC.
- Do you plan to build new gyms or training centers?
- Yes, there are plans to build free halls for children.
We have a unique mentality, a special attitude towards guests.
Unfortunately, this goes away with time.
And in the hall they will not teach bad things.
I can still pick up the trash or wipe the floor.
There is nothing shameful about this for me.
Yes, I am Mahmud Muradov, but I am the same as everyone else.
Therefore, I want to first of all instill discipline in my students.
- Why did you decide to come to the Asian Sambo Championship?
- Firstly, the head of our federation treats me well, he will always advise and help me.
And secondly, the local guys were happy to see me.
I always try to please young people when I have time.
- Are you planning to attend the World Cup?
- If they call I'll come, if not - too (
Laughs
).
Of course, if the preparation for the UFC tournament in Moscow does not interfere.
After all, this is almost a home competition for me, there will be many guests from Uzbekistan, I would like to speak at them.
- An international sambo center is under construction in Moscow. How do you feel about having a UFC fight there?
- Why not?
Such a duel could be attended by my parents and relatives.
It's like fighting at home, because there are many Uzbeks in Russia.
My recent meeting with fans in Moscow caused such a stir that not everyone even had enough space.