Shlemenko and Tokov first fought in October 2018 at the Bellator tournament in New York. Russian fights in major international MMA promotions were rare at the time, and this one also happened between the Khabib vs. Conor and Fedor Emelianenko vs. Chael Sonnen fights, so few people noticed how Alexander Shlemenko lost by decision in three sleeping rounds.
Six years later, their fight turns out to be sharper: it will be the main fight of the RCC tournament in Yekaterinburg on December 14, and Shlemenko called Tokov a “consumer” and accused him of not wanting to promote the fight. Shlemenko is preparing with his team in Omsk. Tokov represents Fedor Emelianenko’s Fedor team, but trains in Dagestan. They have a little over two weeks to prepare.
What we talk about in this interview:
“Maybe I should juggle to make it more interesting?”
— Do you remember the first fight with Alexander Shlemenko well?
– Yes, I remember this fight well. Now that I’ve watched it again: I have the impression that neither I nor Alexandre were able to show what we are capable of. I think he and I managed to hit 50 to 70 percent of the max in the first fight.
– What was your mood then?
— There was a double feeling. At that moment, it didn’t seem entirely right that two compatriots would fight abroad. But that seemed to be due to my inexperience. I don’t think so now. We are fighters, this is our job. And it doesn’t matter where we will go to achieve our goal: at home in Russia or abroad.
— Has your opinion of Alexander as a person changed over these six years?
“It seems to me so, and the situation has certainly not gotten worse.” By analyzing what Alexander does… not what he says, but what he does, I improved my attitude towards him. I mean, he’s opening schools for young people. He builds sports grounds not only in Omsk, but throughout Russia. He popularized a healthy lifestyle and opposed alcohol. This should be treated with respect.
— Alexander Shlemenko gave a rather harsh interview about you. Have you watched it?
— I haven’t watched the whole thing, but I’ve seen some clips. What can I say: Alexander has his own life, I have mine. The only thing that will unite us from now on is the cage. December 14.
— What words did you not like in this interview?
– For example, when he says that I should ask for this fight, and he decides whether to give me such a fight or not.
– But these are not the words that will push you to come and talk to Shlemenko without cameras?
– In general, with my experience, I do not react so sharply to any statement. Go out, discover something, talk separately… There are close friends with whom we walk side by side through life. If such moments happen to them, then, of course, they will have to be clarified.
– Alexander thinks you need to make this fight more interesting. What do you think is the public interest in the Tokov vs. Shlemenko-2 fight?
– Maybe I should juggle to make it more interesting? I fight, people see what kind of fights I fight. And what I do outside of the ring, I don’t think it’s going to get a lot of attention from people. Yes, you can say a lot of things, and if you insult and say something dirty, people are attracted to that. But I can’t do that.
— You recently fought for the Bellator championship title. Can we say that, to some extent, you also bring this status into play in the fight? So Alexander Shlemenko is fighting a guy who recently fought for the Bellator middleweight belt?
“If you hadn’t asked, I wouldn’t have even thought about it.” I wasn’t the Bellator champion, but what does “fighting for the belt” mean?
– I think there are several dozen fighters of your weight who would like to have such a chance, but did not get it.
– In any case, I don’t think it’s my advantage. I couldn’t get the belt, so I have nothing to bet on.
“I strive to be faster and more technical than Alexandre”
—How have you become better as a fighter?
“I gained more experience, started thinking more with my head and picked up some technical points.
— How are you better than Alexandre as an MMA fighter?
– I beat him.
— What if we broke it down by individual skills?
– This will be visible in combat, because, as I said before, it all depends on who prepares how. I strive to be much faster and more technical than Alexander in this fight.
— You said you didn’t watch enough fights. Have you watched Shlemenko’s last fights?
– I looked, yes. I watched the fights with Ilic, with Magomed Ismailov and Kuat Khamitov. Even then I didn’t think I would fight Alexander Shlemenko, but I watched them live on TV.
— When Shlemenko lost to Ilic, what was your reaction?
— I was upset at that moment. And now I would be upset too. And he was happy when he beat Ilic in the rematch.
— Do you think that as a fighter you are at a higher level than Alexander’s previous opponents: Kuat Khamitov, Curtis Millender, Kleber Souza?
– In my opinion… yes, I am stronger.
— When was your last fight before this interview?
– Yesterday. On Friday we had sparring sessions (the interview was recorded on Saturday November 23 – Note from ). I train at Universal Fighters in Rasul Magomedaliev’s gym. And there, the middleweight guys help me a lot: Rasul Abdulaev, alias Rasul Lysy, devotes a lot of time to me. We are preparing. In my team, it can be difficult for me to work with heavy weights, because sometimes my body cannot handle such a load. There are times when it feels like something is going to break somewhere.
— How often do you ask your training partners to do something specific to prepare Shlemenko?
— In general, Rasul, let’s say, is already preparing me professionally and purposefully. And when the other guys pair up, I ask them to do certain things.
— Are you currently being hit with a backfist (one of Shlemenko’s signature roundhouse kicks – Note from ) or other roundhouse kicks in training?
— Yes, everyone tries to hit with the back fist, just like the spinners. At first it was hard to get used to, this shot is not classic, it’s hard to get used to and react. And that’s precisely why the guys beat them as often as possible. There are now 2-3 options (defense) for this attack, we are working on them.
— In your opinion, what is the strongest quality of Alexander Shlemenko?
– Spirit, character to go all the way. Non-standard technology. And very hard blows.
— You had several fights where it seemed that you were about to lose, but it was precisely thanks to your character that you achieved victory. Do you think that in the fight with Shlemenko, your character and his will be severely tested?
— I think so, there will be a clash of characters where no one gives up and just gives up the fight.
“Alexander considered the ability to fight and ‘die’ as a characteristic of his mindset for combat. What are you saying to yourself?
“Before the fight, I think of my family, my parents and the team. I think so many guys are helping me prepare, and now it’s impossible to go out and “spoil” the fight.
“Don’t ask me such questions.”
— Not long ago, we attended your younger brother Vladimir’s fight and you took your mother to see the fight. Will your mother come to your fight in Yekaterinburg now?
– Mom wants to come. But with every minute that passes, I don’t know why, the desire for my mother to come disappears.
– Why do you think?
– Because we – our two sons – will fight this time. And if the first time I was with my mother to calm her down, now, probably, there will be no one there. And on top of that, surviving two battles will make it more difficult.
– It would be fair to assume that you view the fight with Shlemenko in such a way that it is better for your mother not to watch it.
– I think so. I don’t want my mother to see this. Moreover, we also had such a case in the family: mom flew with dad on vacation and there was a fight – with me or with my brother. And my mother felt bad at the airport, despite the fact that she didn’t even watch the video, but my father did. In other words, thanks to her father’s reaction, she realized that something serious was happening. Blood pressure rose and my mother went to the hospital, but she didn’t go anywhere.
-Who will be in your corner now?
— Alexander Vasilyevich Michkov and Rasul Magomedaliev.
— Why won’t Fedor Emelianenko (Tokov represents the Fedor team — Note from ) do it?
— Fedor constantly accompanies us in America, but in Russia it is probably a little difficult for him. So many people!
– And you didn’t even ask him such a question, you didn’t discuss the possibility with him?
– No, we didn’t even discuss it. But everything can change: Fedor has a lot to do, but if he has free time, perhaps he will do it.
-Can you imagine losing this fight?
– No, I can’t imagine that. I imagine it will be hard, maybe painful… Alexandre of course has his own tricks. But I can’t imagine losing this fight, no.
— Alexandre has this particularity: he doesn’t give up if he gets a trap. Can you imagine breaking an arm or leg if you take a painful hold?
– Don’t ask me such a question… I hope that won’t happen.
– Have you thought about that?
– No. But I can say that I will complete the reception to the end.
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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.
