In 2013, mixed martial arts fighter Jeff Monson announced his desire to become a citizen of the Russian Federation. In 2018, everything was formalized. Monson later received a passport from the Lugansk People’s Republic (LNR).
Jeff, now 51, appeared at the official event with a new letter “Z” tattoo on his neck. Correspondents from “” spoke to Monson, asking, among other things, to explain the decision to fill in this symbol.
“REVENGE WITH DATSIKO?” I PREFER TO ORGANIZE OTHER FIGHTS”
But we started our conversation with Monson with an analysis of a 13-second boxing match between Alexander Emelianenko and Vyacheslav Datsik. Jeff lost to the former in February bare-knuckle and to the latter in August under MMA rules (three rounds of two minutes each).
Did you manage to watch the boxing match in which Datsik knocked out Alexander Emelianenko in 13 seconds?
Yes, I saw the replay. I’m glad I didn’t wait for the night duel.
— I would like to hear your impressions.
– I was shocked. Datsik is very strong, so he can knock out anyone. Emelianenko is a very good technical boxer, so everyone was surprised that it happened in 13 seconds. I assumed the fight could last all rounds, but that also happens.
– Do you have any questions about the form of Emelianenko Jr.?
– It’s hard to say, he could have been in great shape, but it was all over in 13 seconds. He just received such a powerful blow that it doesn’t matter how much you trained before. After two or three rounds, you could still guess what shape he was in. Now it is impossible to say how he trained, only he knows.
– Would you like to have a rematch with Datsik?
-Ltd! I prefer to organize other fights. I think in a duel under the rules of MMA in three rounds of five minutes, I would have defeated him. He is a nice guy, I know his family and his daughter, they are all very nice. We have no problem with him.
– Jeff, a question on the forehead – when will you finish your career?
– Very soon, because in November my daughter will be born. Of course, you can continue to train, but with all these injuries, operations, family affairs, there is not much time left. Fighting is not my whole life, I worked with the government, opened schools in Bashkortostan. I want to have another fight or two and finish.
– That is to say that in November you will end up with performances?
“Maybe my last fight will be in November. Most likely it will be an MMA fight. First there will be a fight in October, maybe, then in November and that’s it.
“I GET A LOT OF HATE FROM AMERICA, EUROPE AND UKRAINE”
You have a new tattoo on your neck. Can you explain the decision to fill in the symbol Z?
‘I don’t support the war, but I have many good friends, and two have already died in Donetsk. For the past eight years, they have been constantly bombarded, and who should save these people? I ask this question to all my American friends. How can I not support Russia?
Everyone thinks Ukraine has democracy and all that, but it doesn’t. They killed people, their own fellow citizens in the DNR and the LNR. I was there recently and I saw how people are dying, I saw all these graves. It’s not propaganda, as they say in the USA, it’s true. I’ve been there about ten times since 2016 and I’ve seen it all with my own eyes.
Therefore, I stuffed myself with this symbol in solidarity with the people of Donbass and eastern Ukraine, who defended their independence and now held a referendum to become part of Russia. I’m an adult, but the last time I went there, I cried seeing them suffer.
– Can you return to the United States in the foreseeable future for a month or a week?
– I have three children in the USA, many friends with whom we communicate by telephone. My team is in Florida – they are my brothers and sisters. But other than that, I don’t miss the United States.
Yes, I want to go visit the children and the team, but it’s not possible at the moment. I hope I can see my children, because they are an important part of my life. But I have nothing to go to America, I have a house and I work here, I have a wife and two daughters here.
– Americans, probably, often communicate with you on political matters.
– I talk about these topics all the time and now I get a lot of hate in social networks and in letters from people from Ukraine, Europe and the United States. They say, “Are you crazy?
– And the fighters from the United States are also discussing this?
Yes, they ask all the time. Here recently I was talking with Chael Sonnen, with other guys on my team. Now in America there are a lot of guys from Dagestan who understand my position.
But many top fighters and managers ask me why I support Russia. I tell them that I feel that way, because I live here and the people here are very nice.
I was just talking to the guys who are supposed to fight on Friday, and they’re like this – they’re all telling us you can’t go here, they can get killed here. But I replied that now it is the safest place. You can even walk down the street with an American flag or a T-shirt, and they will come up to you and ask you how it is in the United States, in New York, in Miami? People will be 100% nice to you. There is no danger.
– In conclusion, the question is – who gave you this tattoo?
– My friend from Ufa, who has a tattoo studio there. He’s already done a lot of tattoos for me.
Source : MatchTV
I am Sandra Jackson, a journalist and content creator with extensive experience in the news industry. I have been working in the news media for over five years. During this time, I have worked as an author and editor at various outlets producing high-quality content that attracts readers from different demographics.
