Watching the fight Alexander Sarnavsky and Magomed Sulumov, we understand why some countries are still trying to ban MMA. There is something frightening when two athletes hit each other in such a professional and efficient manner. When you understand that their muscles, their coordination and their discipline over the last two or three months, it all worked and is working, only to make every punch to the head as hard as possible.
Magomed Sulumov wanted to defend his AMC Fight Nights title. Alexander Sarnavsky wanted to win his first belt in 35 years of life. During that time, Sarnavsky enjoyed a 20-fight win streak, status as Europe’s top undefeated prospect, opportunities in four major leagues (M-1, AMC Fight Nights, ACA and Bellator) and an advanced MMA team. ‘Omsk. . But all this could not lead him to the title. In the best leagues of Russia and the world, he lost important fights, and before the current fight he left the team where he started.
Sarnavsky and Sulumov fought diligently. In the first round, Sarnavsky was close to defeat. In the second, Slumov was knocked down, and in the third the champion lacked strength – Sarnavsky took him back and strangled him. Then he will approach the people on the Russian podium and patiently take photos. Sarnavsky was hugged by men in military uniforms with crutches next to him and guys in black T-shirts with bulging biceps. The champion will look for a changing room for a long time, will be nervous because they won’t be able to bring him water right away, and will end up letting go when he reaches for his bags with his belongings and remains surrounded by around twenty friends. and his wife.
Every few seconds, tears flowed from the eyes and blood from the cut on the fighter’s face. Sarnavsky now has 41 MMA victories. There are no more than 10 fighters in Russia with a similar result.
– The whole nose? Looks like it’s intact, right? “Bumps on the head,” Sarnavsky says before the interview. — The fight is hard, but the work is hard. In fact, Maga is a really worthy opponent, he gave a competitive fight, but I didn’t break, I fought until the end. There was an episode where he chatted to me a little, went to finish me off, and in the first round I even swam a little, but I was ready to fight, I was ready to be knocked out – it would have been better if he knocked me out or scored, but I had to fight until the end.
“You haven’t fought in a year and a half.” Did you feel there was pressure?
— In general, actually, there were a lot of different rearrangements. I left the team. There were interviews directed at me and I didn’t know if I was doing things right or wrong. It was hard. By May it would have been two years since I last fought, of course downtime takes its toll. Imagine, in these two years, I just trained and waited for me to play.
— Do you think Alexander Shlemenko watched your fight live?
– Shit, I don’t know, it was very late. You should probably ask him about this, because it was already four in the morning in Omsk. If you call, ask (Shlemenko trained Sarnavsky for over 10 years, but the fighters broke up mid-conflict – ).
— This is your first belt in 16 years and 48 fights. Did you imagine yourself yesterday or this afternoon with him?
– Well, I imagine myself with a belt for a long time, when I still fought with Abdulaziz in ASA [Абдулвахабовым]. But you know, whatever we do, everything is done for the best. I now have a big family, I have a great team who are always with me. You can look: it’s the whole locker room, it’s all my friends. Antokha, come here. This is the man, when I came to him, I had two defeats in a row, it was difficult for me (coach of attackers Anton Kolosnitsyn, master of sports in boxing – ). I said, “Antokha, I need help. I have problems with my hands and my movements. He said: “Tiger, you have great potential, we will do whatever depends on me.” » So he and I walked slowly, with small steps, without listening to anyone. I believed him, I trusted him. All training camps, all preparations, the last 6-7 fights, Anton is next to me, without going out.
It’s just one person: there is Seryoga Gazai, there is Artem Reznikov, Sulovich, Miri. All my friends, everyone who is with me, they have always supported me until the end. This is our common victory. Everyone contributed to this victory. When you go through a difficult path, in fact, there are not many friends, only the truest and most devoted stay with you to the end. I think we will continue to work. Of course, I am no longer 20, but 35.
(…at this point Sarnavsky will suddenly cry and try to calm down for about a minute).
It’s just that when I signed the contract for the fight and came home and showed my daughter that I would fight for the belt, she said, “Daddy, I want this belt at home.” Of course, she doesn’t know the outcome yet: she’s sleeping now, even though she’s in Moscow. Tomorrow morning I’ll call him to tell him the belt is on its way home. I don’t need this belt, it’s for my daughter. She just wanted it more than me. Sorry for the emotions, it’s real, I’m not acting in a movie.
Get this straight: I’ve fought most of my life since I was 18, but I’ve never had a belt. Now I’m 35, and at 35…as they say, he who can endure gets the best. So we did it today, and of course thanks to my wife. She’s also a former athlete, she’s been through it all, she knows how it all goes. She is always there, no matter if I lose or win, she is always there and supports me. You just have to be patient. And I would like to wish everyone who will watch the interview now: “My friends, never give up. I’m 35 years old, I’ve never given up, I’ve always believed in it. I want my daughter to look at him and say, “Look, my dad is a champion. »
– What hurts after such a fight?
“I think my soul is hurting.” He hurt his leg a little, I just hit him with a low kick and hit him on the elbow with my fingers. The elbow itself is also a bit small. Abrasions. Well, tomorrow my face will probably still be numb. Nastia, come here…
— Tell me, what is the name of your daughter, so that we can understand who will get the champion belt of Fight Nights in the category up to 70 kg?
— (answers the fighter’s wife who is standing nearby) Yesenia. She was very worried about how we were going to take it. He says it won’t fit in the suitcase. And she asked Dad to tell her to put it on her belt and wear it like that.
-Who would you like to fight next?
— I would like to fight for the second 77 kg belt, with Dmitry Bikrev.
— In case there is a second daughter?
– Maybe a girl, maybe a boy. Hunting at 77kg will test your strength.
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Live broadcasts of mixed martial arts tournaments can be seen on and Match! Fighter”, as well as on the sites matchtv.ru and sportbox.ru.
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.
