35-year-old Ivan Shtyrkov and 39-year-old Alexander Shlemenko should fight at the same RCC 19 tournament. Age is important here, because a little earlier in an interview Shtyrkov said that when they meet, he will approach Shlemenko first and shake hands, since “he is younger.” Several years ago, in 2016–2017, Shtyrkov trained with Shlemenko’s team. In 2019, after Shtyrkov’s first defeat, Shlemenko came into his locker room with the words “if anything happens, we are nearby,” but relations between the fighters began to deteriorate around 2022.

Shtyrkov (to summarize) supported Alexander Sarnavsky, who left the Shlemenko hall, and said that he could develop Andrei Koreshkov’s career “1000 times better” (Koreshkov remained in the Shlemenko hall). Shlemenko responded by saying that Shtyrkov puts too much into the press and could talk personally if they had any questions.

As a result, they ended up in the same room on May 10 at the media day before RCC 19. Each was preparing for their own fight, but during the interview, Shlemenko was asked if he had any communication with Ivan Shtyrkov, and he replied:

– Was it there? Where is he? You understand, a person is not defined by life at all. What does he even want?! I can’t understand: in one interview he says “I shake hands,” in another interview he says “I don’t shake hands.” Petya Yan is a great guy. He came up and said hello. But I understand that Vanya most likely does not enjoy respect on the street. It’s unlikely that anyone respects him at all as a person. You see, if he was respected, he would understand how to behave. How to show yourself correctly. And if you show yourself like an offended girl who has problems with hormonal levels – well, here’s how to give some of these assessments… You can call him.

Ivan Shtyrkov comes up and shakes hands.

Shlemenko: Listen, everyone is interested here. Have you decided at all: do you shake hands or not shake hands?

Shtyrkov: I said: if we meet, I will shake hands. What are you doing with content, Sasha? When do you gather journalists around you and try to disperse something?! Tell me why did you call me?

Shlemenko: You say that you learned something there, but you won’t say what, but your attitude towards me has changed. What did you find out?

Shtyrkov: About the situation that happened with Alexander Sarnavsky (Shlemenko’s student who left the team). How you kicked him out of the team, how you didn’t call him, didn’t talk to him. Just through left-wing people.

Shlemenko: Where did you find out about this? Were you present during the conversation? Do you know what such people are called, who speaks from hearsay? Goofballs.

Shtyrkov: You see, Sasha, you and I also had a conflict situation, a misunderstanding. But you also didn’t call me and started telling people too. I don’t know what you didn’t like, maybe that I’m preparing in Dagestan or somewhere else. You didn’t call either, although you say there is a phone.

Shlemenko: Did he personally tell you, call you and complain? In this situation, he is definitely wrong, and no one asked you, and you are giving an interview, but how did you draw these conclusions yourself?

Shtyrkov: What do you mean? I know the situation as much as I know it, I draw a conclusion from it. But I don’t believe you. I know that you could do this – not call the person and convey it through someone, say that the person was fired from the team. I know you can do this.

Shlemenko: Did you ask me?

Shtyrkov: Why would I ask you if I believe those people? I understood what you did here – you made a clownery, Sasha. You are a grown man, but you created a clown show here. You could have talked to me normally. And we could talk about everything for a long time.

Shlemenko: I just don’t have my phone handy to show how many of your interviews came out with a headline that included the word “Shlemenko.”

Shtyrkov: Apparently they just don’t ask you about me. If they ask, you will answer. If this is a joint interview, you probably need to prepare for it. Let’s do a joint interview. What is this? This is not a conversation, Sasha.

Shlemenko: Well, we talked, and people will draw all their own conclusions, and time will put everything in its place. I had a few questions, I asked, and we heard everything we needed.

Shtyrkov: Sasha, I didn’t have any questions at all. Well, you created this one… It’s just nonsense.

Shlemenko: Well, let it be nonsense. Thank you.

Live broadcasts of mixed martial arts tournaments can be seen on the Match TV and Match! Fighter”, as well as on the websites matchtv.ru and sportbox.ru.