"It hurts for the tall to fall": Jan - about the fight with Sandhagen, rematch with Sterling and the victory of Emelianenko

- In what state are you approaching the Saturday fight?

- Everything is fine, I feel good.

- Is there any annoyance that you will not fight with Aljamein Sterling, but with Corey Sandhagen?

- No, I'm not annoyed.

I still have the same goal - this is the championship belt.

And with whom to fight, as I said, it is not so important for me.

- If you were to decide, would it be important for you to have a rematch with Sterling and improve something in your fight, or would you prefer to fight TJ Dillashaw?

- You know that Sterling needs a second fight to prove that he can do something.

I'm not interested in him if this Saturday I get my championship belt back.

Everyone knows Aljamein escaped.

He could go into the octagon, he could have an operation before or after the fight, he has needed it for ten years.

But he decided on surgery right now.

- Do you think that he did it on purpose to avoid a fight with you?

- I don't even want to think about it.

And about Sterling in general.

How long can the UFC keep Sterling from stripping his championship belt in 2022?

- It is better to ask such questions to the management of the organization.

I don't care what they do with him.

On Saturday I have a fight for the belt.

- What are the strengths and weaknesses of Sandhagen can you highlight?

- Corey is Corey.

I will not go into detail about its pros and cons.

He is a worthy opponent, a versatile fighter, he can do everything.

I think that already during the fight I will be able to demonstrate in what aspect I will dominate him.

- Corey said that he will have the advantage over you on the ground.

What do you think about this?

- Maybe he will have an advantage on the ground, but not on the ground.

- Did you have to change your training because of Sterling's refusal, or did you know in advance that this would happen and immediately began to prepare for Sandhagen?

- Of course, I assumed that anything could happen. 

I always try to pay attention to all aspects during training, not concentrating on a specific opponent.

Only in the last weeks are we making some adjustments for the opponent.

Once Sterling starred, he starred.

- Your manager said that in the last fight you were not in optimal shape.

What was the reason for this?

- All that was, then passed.

The manager is cheating on you.

I don't want to remember, really.

It will be ugly to speak now.

I'm not upset in any way, life doesn't end there.

All failures are just an experience for me.

If you have lost your belt, then we will move on and take another one.

- If you then made some mistake in preparation, will it not affect this time too?

- Any system fails.

In this battle, everything will be different.

I got a new opponent, he works in a different style.

And whether it was worth correcting something, preparing for it, we can only understand during the fight or after it.

- How comfortable is it to fight those who are much taller than you?

- I don’t even know, I haven’t come across such tall guys.

We'll see on Saturday.

I know for sure that falling high is more painful.

- Coach Sean Kober said that during the preparation for the tournament he made sure that you did not overload yourself in the physical aspect.

How did you benefit from working with him?

- We have been training with him since I started taking my first steps in the UFC.

Let him think that he "slows me down".

I love that Sean assesses my condition when I am overwhelmed and changes his work plan.

Overall, I am pleased with working with him.

- How much is left for you to drive for the day remaining before weighing?

- In the morning I had 5.5 extra pounds.

In general, weight-lifting goes well for me, but anything can happen.

Everyone's body reacts differently.

- Who can you talk to on the day of the battle on the phone?

- I think only with my mother, wife, my relatives and friends with whom I keep in touch.

Usually I try to minimize communication, not use the phone and the Internet.

- Would you be interested in pairing with boxer Vasily Lomachenko?

He's also in your weight.

- Of course, from a sports point of view, it would be a great experience.

I have been watching his team for a long time.

I myself boxed somewhere in 2011 at a tournament in Kazakhstan, where the whole Ukrainian team was with Oleksandr Usik and Oleksandr Gvozdik.

I think it would be interesting to practice with them.

- Do you visualize how your next fight should end?

- Of course, because the power of thought works.

It is imperative to think about it, to represent gold or a belt.

This will motivate you, make you give your best in training.

- What have you improved during the training camp?

- At first I was preparing in Anapa.

Spent six weeks there.

The last two have already worked in Abu Dhabi.

The preparation was structured so as to be ready in every aspect.

Only during the battle will I understand which keys I can pick up and what will work.

- Who trained you?

- Kairat Nurmaganbetov staged the striking technique, he was engaged in wrestling with Andrei Oktyabrinsky.

I did not take a boxing specialist, so that there were no swing with a kick and each mentor did not impose something of his own.

I'm happy that these guys have come a certain way with me.

- Was there an opportunity to watch the fight of Fedor Emelianenko?

- Yes, I watched the entire Bellator tournament in Moscow.

I am very glad that he won at the age of 45.

The last Emperor appeared in good shape and did everything in a timely manner and accurately, with this I congratulate him.