Russian Mixed Martial Artist (MMA) Alexander Shlemenko said he was closer to victory in a duel against Brazilian Kleber Souza.
The fight took place on Friday in Omsk and ended in a draw – 29:28, 28:28, 28:29.
– Of course, it’s a pity. I suffocated him for about a minute. 30 seconds exactly. What is the outcome of the suffocation attempt? Maybe they just don’t know you can choke like that.
To be honest I’m unhappy, if they gave him the win it would be great. I didn’t see the fight from the outside, I’m not a referee. But in general, all attacks are mine. The third-round choke attempt is mine. I was closed. He was slippery, he slipped. I spilled blood on him. He broke my nose with his knee, but I don’t understand why we gave him a draw. My shots were more accurate, he missed, – Shlemenko told reporters after the fight.
– Do you want to talk to the judges?
– Why? What will he give? Haters will say he blamed the judges. I worked the whole fight. Now I want to say: “Maga (Ismailov), hello.” I breathe normally. I failed to break it, but there is still time to prepare. Defeat Ilic, and our fight will be relevant.
– Your promotion will not have a reputation for bringing in strangers and prosecuting them.
– This has never happened before. How can they sue if there is not one of our judges. If they sue, it’s not us, but the MMA Union.
Souza was well prepared for my kicks, stacked. So I popped, I thought I was going to break it. I spent a lot of energy. But in general, I’m happy with the fight, because at such a pace I could “die” in the first round, but not “die” in the third. I was ready to continue working. The pace was very high. I let him breathe, it was a mistake.
– Was there a will to organize a fight in five rounds?
No, because a five-round fight should make sense.
Will there be a rematch?
– Why. If so, you can work it out. I don’t like fighting lefties. On the horizon there is a lefty – Maga. Tell me, are you going to fight or not? If you are unhappy with the fee, talk to the RCC, they will fix it. I only fought two lefties because of Magee, otherwise I would have fought righties.
Can it “merge”?
– Refuse – yes, “merge” – no. I do not know.
I have the satisfaction of not “dying”. Training fight, there was no goal to win at all costs. I gave myself the task of pumping myself up. I was nervous if I could cut all the rounds. I realized that I could, even with a broken nose, work with a left-handed person. A little more restraint was needed.
“Was it hard in Omsk?”
— More difficult than elsewhere, because the responsibility is very great. Yes, I have five children here, I woke up every day at 6:50. That’s not an excuse. I took the child to kindergarten, carried away. The last and penultimate day was devoted to racing. I slept badly because I had to lose weight.
– Residents of Omsk may wonder why Shlemenko did not win.
– I think I won the battle, I completed all the tasks by myself. That I failed to knock him out? Yes. That’s what they can ask. If someone says you lost the fight, then at least they’ll be wrong. I saw that a lot was missing. I hit hard, but not too many times.
Did the children’s cries help or distract?
” Neither. I was afraid I would tire myself out, and now I’m mad at myself for not adding more. I had the strength to add. I won the first, the second, in the third I will not be able to “extinguish”, so I will win. Could have flown in the last 10-15 seconds, but didn’t. For that, I am angry with myself.
– What would be the objective score?
All three rounds are in my favour.
Due to Shlemenko, 38 years old, 61 wins and 14 losses.
The fight between Shlemenko and Ismailov in MMA is scheduled for December in Yekaterinburg during the RCC tournament.
Source : MatchTV
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