Fans of mixed martial arts in Russia were looking forward to the duel between Alexander Emelianenko and Vyacheslav Datsik. Before signing the contract for the fight, it seemed that the most experienced athlete, who had victories over world-class opponents in his track record, should quickly deal with the collective farm grunt.

But things turned out differently. After such humiliating defeats, it’s time for Alexander to think about ending his professional career.

Otherwise, everything can end in tragedy.

“I have prepared very well”

All martial arts fans in Russia have been waiting for the duel of Alexander Emelianenko against Vyacheslav Datsik for more than ten years, there were too many scandalous situations between the fighters during this time. Many fans rubbed their hands in contentment after the official announcement on May 10 that the fight would take place at the end of September.

But the joy of the fans quickly changed to bewilderment. The frames with the sad state of health of Emelianenko that got on the Internet made a lot of noise. The video showed how difficult it is for Alexander to take every step. Sometimes people from his team helped the athlete to stay on his feet. The fighter also could not speak clearly, making frequent pauses. The sad state of Emelianenko was reflected even on his face, which was decorated with a huge dissection.

Naturally, in this state, it was impossible to let Alexander into the ring. Together with his team, it was decided to prepare for the fight under the supervision of rehabilitation specialists in Yekaterinburg. They were supposed to bring the athlete out of this terrible state.

Emelianenko had four months to recover, during which he not only had to regain his health, but also physically prepare for the battle. In the early days of rehabilitation, the fighter was scary to look at. His hesitant jogging through the forests of the Urals caused only anxiety.

But the longer the training camp lasted, the more Alexander resembled a full-fledged person capable of leading a normal life. Emelianenko, in the process of preparation, often shared the results of training with the audience. There were no only videos from sparring, which could already alert. But the athlete assured that they were carried out.

— I am very well prepared. I went through a good fighting school. I worked with professional fighters, sparred a lot. Both light weight and heavyweight fighters helped me, ”said the athlete before the fight with Datsik.

He explained the lack of video with sparring by the unwillingness to provide opponents with important information about preparing for the fight.

Alexander Emelianenko / Photo: © Vadim Tikhomirov / Match TV

“I won’t do that again”

The second alarm bell rang already during the entry of Emelianenko into the ring. Alexander appeared in front of the audience as concentrated as possible and in good physical shape. There was no trace of excess weight and a face swollen from bad habits. But the very first steps on the way to the ring caused serious concern.

Emelianenko, who took on the new nickname Phoenix before the fight, walked too slowly. And it was not an imposing gait, as one might think. Alexander moved as stiffly as possible, sometimes resembling a neat old man.

Nothing much has changed after the starting gong. Datsik, who is older than Emelianenko, looked like a youngster compared to Phoenix. Alexander’s legs did not work at all. And his hands were also far from ideal. Already after 12 seconds of the fight, he missed a powerful left hand. At this moment, Emelianenko simply did not have enough speed and reaction to defend himself or evade an opponent’s attack. In a semi-conscious state, he collapsed face down into the ring.

Photo: © RCC

After the defeat, apparently not quite objectively understanding his condition, Alexander began to beg the organizers of the fight and Datsik for revenge, hinting that next time he would be able to show a better fight. Emelianenko also apologized to his fans by recording a video message for them.

– I apologize to the fans, fans, everyone who was rooting for me. I chased Datsik, underestimated him. He ran away from me. I won’t do that again. I will talk to the organizers to give me revenge. I will definitely beat him. I apologize again, – said Alexander.

I would like to hope that Emelianenko said this on emotions, demanding revenge after such a devastating defeat. But this loss became too fast for the fighter. Given the health problems, as well as not the youngest age, it is quite reasonable for Alexander to think about ending his professional career. Further attempts to fight serious opponents can end in real tragedy, and Emelianenko’s only motivation seems to be the pursuit of relatively easy money. At the same time, the state of the once top fighter hints that any fight can significantly aggravate the already imperfect state of Emelianenko.