Russian MMA fighter Magomed Zainalov, who survived a fall from the 10th floor, spoke in an interview with about his feelings during the flight and his first thoughts at the moment when he came to his senses on the ground.
Zainalov, 24, fell from the balcony of his apartment in Rostov-on-Don while trying to help a cat that had wandered onto an unglazed area. The athlete managed to bring the animal back to the apartment, but lost his balance and fell. Zainalov stumbled upon a parked car and survived, escaping with injuries to his legs and pelvic bones.
— You don’t blame the cat?
“Everyone says I fell saving a cat.” I don’t think so, it’s a completely normal procedure, it happened several times a day. That evening I was not in the mood, and the weather here in Rostov can be different: there was ice then. It all came together.
– It turns out that you were standing on a glazed balcony, the cat climbed onto the windowsill, and you came out the other side to throw the cat away?
– Yes, I sat on that balcony, I reached out to the cat, I picked it up, I threw it down and I said: “Come up, young child.” And he lost it.
I realized this was the end. He read the shahada: “I testify that there is no God but Allah and that Mohammed is his messenger. » If a person reads these words before dying, then he enters paradise. I managed to say it instantly. And then I fly, and at the same time I have such hope that now everything will be fine. I regrouped, raised my hands to my head (I didn’t usually do that during fights). I don’t remember the impact, but I remember the first minutes on the pitch: “Everything is fine, great.” » And the atmosphere went really well. I tried to get up, but I couldn’t get up.
— A strong fear when you come down from the tenth floor?
— There was just a sort of flash. And I can describe it in one sentence: “Wow!..” What I didn’t expect happened. And I also thought, “I’m too early, I’m only 24.” »
— There was a very scary video online in which you were sitting on the asphalt. When did you see him?
“When I came to my senses, they showed it to me.” I thought: Damn, it’s kind of embarrassing to be there without a T-shirt. “I didn’t even think there would be such emotion,” Zainalov told .
Source : MatchTV
I am Ashley Ortiz and I am a professional journalist working for Athletistic. My specialty is in sports journalism, particularly boxing. I have written articles for some of the most renowned publications on the subject, and my work has been featured across both print and digital media platforms.
