Oleinik, Ismailov or Berkova? We are looking for a rival for Alexander Emelianenko
Igor Nekrasov May 29, 2023, 15:15 Moscow time
Phoenix wants to rest until August, but the promoter talks about monthly fights.
Last Friday, May 26, the next REN TV Fight Club tournament was held. In the main fight of the night, Alexander Emelianenko and blogger and pop-MMA fighter Evgeny Ershov found themselves in a cage. Phoenix won in the second round, although he was knocked down in the first. The fight could have ended quickly, Ershov managed to shake Emelianenko in the first round, Alexander went down near the net, but the referee saved him from finishing off Phoenix. In the second round, Ershov performed a takedown, but at the same time shook hands with him, and Emelianenko managed to win via submission.
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Despite the long-awaited victory, the state of the eminent fighter causes concern. At the weigh-in, Alexander with difficulty overcame a small ladder, his work on a pear for a profile, to put it mildly, was not impressive, and the fight itself showed that Emelianenko was far from optimal conditions. However, Phoenix said that he plans to have the next fight in August, but did not name an opponent. And promoter Vladimir Khryunov wants Sasha to fight every month. Who could Alexander Emelianenko fight next?
The veteran said he was not opposed to having a rematch with Yershov. In general, the blogger showed himself well in the first round, moving well against the background of Alexander and even managed to surprise an experienced fighter. But revenge is unlikely to arouse special interest among the audience, so there are doubts that someone will take over the organization from him.
If you do not depart from the Fight Club tournament card, then another legend of domestic mixed martial arts Alexey Oleinik performed in the co-main event of the show. Boa constrictor had a fight with Oli Thompson, former UFC fighter. At first the fight went well for Oleinik, he pushed and tried to get into his favorite fight. But late in the round, Thompson threw a single overhand, which dropped Uncle Lyosha hard. Oleinik, who will soon be 46, like Emelianenko, is far from his optimal form. But he has a big name, and a potential duel could cause a stir among the audience. Especially if it will be a boxing match, in which the chances of veterans are approximately equal.
If Alexander recovers, starts to get in shape and proves himself in the next fight, then we can talk about more serious things. For example, to hold high-profile rematches with Magomed Ismailov or Vyacheslav Datsik. Revenge with Ismailov should be important for Alexander in terms of motivation. It was from the duel against Magi that Emelianenko began to fall and lose form, which he still cannot restore. Recently, Ismailov prefers boxing fights, so if a rematch takes place, he will most likely conform to the boxing rules. But Emelianenko first needs to show the maximum capacity of him.
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A rematch with Datsik would also be in the public interest. The first fight was accompanied by a lengthy backstory, trash talk, but the fight itself lasted only 13 seconds and ended in victory for Datsik. Emelianenko immediately challenged his opponent for revenge, but so far the fighters’ paths have diverged. If Alexander can get back on a good winning streak and can show results, I think Datsik will show up very soon and give Phoenix a chance to get even.
But all these are positive options for the development of the career of Alexander Emelianenko. Whether Phoenix will be able to recover and return to the previous level, only he knows. If various scandals related to excessive alcohol consumption, lack of training and the regime continue to accompany him, then instead of various vendettas, Emelianenko will descend into second-rate pop MMA, where his rivals will not be even such bloggers as Yevgeny Ershov, but Elena Berkova. or Irishka Chiki-Piki. Of course, not everyone wants such career development for Alexander Emelianenko, so I want to believe that Phoenix has embarked on the path of correction.
