Archive for June, 2009

M-1 Global's Fedor Emelianenko

FEDOR VS. BARNETT

 ©Marc Wickert www.knucklepit.com
Special thanks to Jacob Schaap, Joost Raimond and M-1 Global

 On August 1, 2009 Fedor Emelianenko will be returning to the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, to defend his WAMMA World Heavyweight Title at Affliction M-1 Global ‘Trilogy’: Emelianenko vs. Barnett.

Although Trilogy is a whacker-packer stacked card, all eyes that evening will be focused on the main event as fans strive for an opportunity to witness the greatest fighter of our time appear before them.  This is the kind of experience people share half a century later when they’re asked by their grandkids, “Did you really see Fedor Emelianenko in person?”

After Fedor’s knockout of Andrei Arlovski at Affliction Banned, guest commentator and former UFC Champion, Tito Ortiz, stated: “You have to mention Fedor Emelianenko when you talk about the best fighters of all time”, whilst another commentator placed Fedor’s name on an elite pedestal with Tiger Woods, Muhammad Ali, Roger Federer and other world sporting giants.

In his book, Fedor: The Fighting System of the World’s Undisputed King of MMA, Emelianenko talks about how, as a child, he looked up to the Russian weightlifter known as the “Strongest Man on the Planet”, Yury Vlasov.  Today, people from all over the world look up to the most successful MMA fighter ever in much the same way.  And both legends are extremely humble about their status.

Emelianenko told Affliction, “I try to do whatever God’s will is… If He gives me the strength to win, that’s wonderful.  But I try to contain my emotions in respect of that because at any time the tables can turn.”

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Bob Sapp

Bob ‘The Beast’ Sapp vs. Bobby Lashley

© Marc Wickert www.knucklepit.com

Special thanks to Bob Trieger

On June 27, 2009, MMA fans will be treated to a huge main-event showdown at the Ultimate Chaos MMA spectacular in Mississippi when 6’5” 350lbs. Bob Sapp (10-4-1) comes thunder-crashing in on 6’2” 255lbs. Bobby Lashley(3-0-0), in what the latter is understandably describing as a “Battle of the Giants”.

Sapp was an offensive lineman in NFL for four years and earned the prestigious Morris Award before switching careers to professional wrestling, kickboxing and mixed martial arts.  In 2005 he became the K-1 Japan GP Champion and, having bench-pressed in excess of 600lbs, is one of the strongest and most explosive fighters in MMA today.

Bob Sapp was taking care of some domestic duties in Seattle, Washington, when Knucklepit.com caught up with him.   “One of my dogs got into trouble running around with my other dog and he sprained his leg, so I was just looking after him.  But he’s fine now.”

Bob is otherwise resting up between training sessions at the time of this interview and will shortly return to the gym.  “When I wake up in the morning I do running, plyometrics and get my mind ready.  Then about four or five hours later I do MMA training, which I’ll be doing shortly.”

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