“I work as head of the sales department.” A 190-kilogram Russian athlete signed up for the Dana White slap league

Great (of course) interview Denis Vildanov broadcast on in 2020. The headline was “Many things have worse health effects than steroids.” » Strongman knocks out with slaps and dreams of “taking a bite” of Emelianenko.

Vildanov never switched to MMA, but fought several boxing fights with a weight of about 180 kg and signed up for the most popular slap league, Power Slap.

It turns out that UFC President Dana White has become interested in entertainment where people simply punch each other in the jaw, and slap tournaments are now promoted across all of the UFC’s media assets. Slap fights on the 16 million-strong UFC channel rarely exceed a hundred thousand views and seem a little wild. Two tall figures decide by lot who will strike first, then a slap is struck in the face of the immobile person, then he has one minute to retaliate in the same way. Periodically, people are completely knocked out.

As a result, on the one hand, there is absolutely wild entertainment. On the other hand, behind this strange tournament lies the most powerful media resource in modern martial arts. This week, Russian Denis Vildanov signed a contract with the Power Slap league. He used to participate in slap fights in Russia, boxing, but he came across as a very thoughtful person.

— How many interviews did you have before receiving the contract?

– Actually, the question here is not about interviews. I performed well in slap tournaments in Russia, where I gained recognition in the media. And one interview was enough for me. We went to a video conference with representatives of the UFC, I impressed them and some time after the negotiations they sent me a contract indicating some subtleties. Although there is no opponent or date, it is a contract with the organization on my intentions, on my consent to participate.

— Do you have a visa for the USA?

— I don’t yet have a visa for the USA, but I intend to obtain one. The American side promised us its help in this matter. I hope our team, Vladimir Myshev and Vitaly Tarasov, will solve this problem. My job is small: punch in the face and be punched in the face.

—Have you been working anywhere all this time?

— Since October, I have been head of the sales department in an organization. We produce carbide tools for cutting metals. We work with military factories, oil workers and other businesses. Before that, I was sales director, now I am department manager.

— Do you often get asked questions about your performance at work?

— We talk from time to time. I am absolutely not an arrogant person, this does not play a big role for me. Well, I fought there, I fought here – there’s no such thing. I am not a rich person, I live an ordinary life like an average Russian.

— When you come to work on Monday, will you be asked to sign a contract?

“We have a friendly team, so everyone responded immediately, congratulated us and called us. Many were surprised. Besides, I didn’t say anything in advance. They began to ask, asking why he was silent. People support me, it’s nice, I want to adequately represent my country in the new promotion.

— In Russia you were known as “Big Daddy,” will you appear in the United States as Big Daddy?

— Yes, Big Daddy, in general it’s a bit like “Big Daddy”. Father is father… Grandpa – I don’t know either. Most likely the first option.

— We have the feeling that your Russian citizenship will even be a plus for the show. Are you going to emphasize that you represent Russia?

– Yes, I will give priority to the fact that I come from Russia, that I represent Russia, that I am its son and that I must show that the Russian warrior is the strongest. This is precisely the confrontation between the West and the East.

— Can you imagine when you will be able to have your first fight?

— I do not yet have such information.

— The basic contract with the UFC provides for $10,000 to participate in the fight and the same amount to win. Do you have less?

– Twice as small. The amount, just like in the UFC, consists of the exit fee and the victory fee. If I’m not mistaken, in pure rubles, if I win, I get 350-400 thousand rubles. The money is absolutely minimal. Not bad for someone, but when you’re deliberately punched in the face by someone who intends to destroy you and was preparing to do so, that’s an extremely small amount. I think the risks are not comparable to this money.

— How are you training now and how will you prepare for the slap tournament?

— Right now, I’m training in light mode. I go to boxing four times a week, at the Dynamo gym in Chelyabinsk. The Chelyabinsk region boxing team trains there, I train with Vladimir Viktorovich Roshchenko (one of the first coaches of Sergei Kovalev – ), Eduard Abzalimov, Anton Kudinov train there. As for slap tournaments, we will have to think separately. For now, I have a few ideas in mind. It will definitely be necessary to work on improving the vestibular apparatus, work on ligaments, speed and strength indicators.

— Do you know at least one name from this promotion?

— There was this 200 kilo man Adam “Slap for Cash” Hutchinson. At first he even recorded a video for me. He promised to kill me, to dirty me. I don’t remember what kind of show it was, but it was there. And then there’s “Hawaiian Hitman” Dane Viernes, who knocked him out. I no longer immerse myself in this world. I don’t care who is there or what is there. What I will be in this moment is important.

– What is your weight now?

– 190 kg. My record was 220 kg.

— Why did you stop competing in boxing?

— To perform at a normal level in boxing, I trained twice a day. It is unrealistic to get back into normal shape if you go to work and then train. You can only compete in boxing with an opponent who has the same breath as me. If Vladimir Khryunov pays attention to me and suggests something like that, then maybe I’ll think about it.

— Four exhibition fights per year at Russian boxing tournaments represent more than a year of work as head of the sales department.

– It turns out approximately the same. Only in sales they don’t hit you and you don’t have to stay in the hospital. I noticed that they started to beat me less. At first I didn’t understand why, but then I thought: I’m sitting at the desk. At one point it even became nice that I stopped being in hospitals, they stopped fusing my bones, sewing ligaments, I’ll be honest, it’s nice.

Live broadcasts of the Mixed Martial Arts tournaments can be seen on and Match! Fighter”, as well as on the sites matchtv.ru and sportbox.ru.