We bring to your attention exclusive interview of the champion of Bellator in the heavy weight of Vitaly Minakov (13-0) in which he told about a duel with Alexander Volkov (19-4) and shared plans of further development of career.

 To a title of the champion of Bellator you four times became the world champion in sambo. Whether caused a belt of the American organization any new emotions?

- Yes, I won a title of the world champion in sambo four times, but such emotions weren't. It was very difficult to constrain them in the first seconds. This belt was very long-awaited trophy. When I signed the contract with Bellator, did it only for the sake of a title.

Now I did a certain way, achieved the objectives and it couldn't but cause a storm of emotions, and not only in me, but also at all team (smiles). There was a sense of euphoria and satisfactions because this victory was not only mine, all team achieved this result.

- Are surprised, what fight ended so quickly?

- I didn't think of it. I was loaded on a victory, and it turned out so. Doesn't matter as I won. Certainly, it is always better to win quickly and with minimum for itself and the opponent damage (smiles).

I prepared in different aspects. Fulfilled a dobivaniye at a cage, blows from a distant distance, learned to get the rival as to a duel with Sasha I had no experience of sparrings with high opponents.

First it was heavy to approach. However I was lucky. In the last month of preparation in Greg Jackson's camp there was Travis Brown, and with it I prepared under Sasha. Fortunately, all our practices managed to be applied.

- Alexander stopped the first pass to feet rather easily. It was part of the plan?

- Naturally, Sasha knew that I am a fighter, waited for passes to feet, and was silly to hope that at me it will turn out to tumble down it from the first. So I simply tried to take away. It is a pity only that the throw at a grid didn't turn out. I took capture, but hurried, took it highly and didn't drag Sasha from a grid.

I had no purpose to pass in feet. My task was to force Sasha to believe that I want to tumble down him. I didn't go to feet to bring down its stolka therefore from outside it and looked uncertainly.

I tried to simulate, but actually, it is necessary to do it really that the rival believed. After that I had to strike blow. Or on the contrary — to threaten with blows in the head, and to pass in feet. But rectilinearly I wasn't going to act.

- Communicated with Volkov after fight?

- After a duel I came to it into a locker room, shook hands and while didn't communicate any more. On January 9 we together will depart to New York on a photoshoot. I think, there and we will communicate.

- You think, there will be a revenge?

- Sasha good fighter. In my opinion, it will pass the Grand Prix following, and as for me, we will look as will pass my protection. Potentially everything is possible.

- When arrived to Russia with a belt, felt, what life changed?

- Such feelings weren't. Probably, such feelings were the first minutes after fight. Somewhere hour still there was a content, but on it all unusual emotions ended (laughs). Now I already indifferently look at a belt and a title.

Now it is necessary to move further. If I build of this victory something supernatural, it will be difficult to work further. Probably, it is one of stages of growth of the athlete. It is necessary to grow, protect this title further, to improve the skills. Now my purpose — grow combative level, to show high-quality fights, various work in a cage.

- In order that grow, worthy rivals are necessary. The first protection you will carry out Congo against Cheyk. How you estimate it? Whether started sorting already?

- I yet didn't start watching its fights. I saw couple of its fights in Bellator. I think, in advance it isn't necessary to stuff to myself the head. Also I saw fight where it practically knocked out, and then it contracted and cut down the rival.

Congothe skilled opponent with serious base. From 30 duels 18 I carried out to UFC. But everything is real. There are at it flaws, holes. While I can note that it is the good drummer and holds blow.

But after all, it it is far not the strongest fighter, and me to move forward to achieve something serious, it is necessary to win against such opponents.

- For the present it isn't known when there will be a Bellator tournament in heavy weight and a division in this promotion not the strongest. What thoughts concerning the future?

- I agree that a division not the strongest. I already have a belt, and now I have purely sports interest. There is a wish for something bigger. You understand that you will protect a belt and will change nothing and if you lose to change for the worse. Therefore the purpose — to go above, and above only UFC.

There are contractual obligations and the only way to replace promotion — it only if you simply buy up. I heard that such experience exists. So now I should be interested if want to see me in the organization. Other way it will be difficult to get to UFC.

I have a contract with Bellator for a year and if everything well develops, and I will have a belt on hands, the contract will be prolonged. But I heard that Bellator offers new fighters in heavy weight very interesting contracts from the financial point of view and speak about serious prospects.

I think, in the future in Bellator it will be even more favorable to act, and it isn't necessary to pass anywhere. But nevertheless, it is very interesting to be overcome for an UFC belt.

Plus as spoke, Alexander Shlemenko, it is possible to experiment, try in fights something new and on it grow.

- Your clubmate Ali Bagautinov will fight with John Lineker. How you consider, what its chances of a victory?

- Certainly, I support Alishka. He is my close companion, we in one team. I see how he trains as adds and already enters in Top-10 of UFC. Unfortunately, I didn't see Lineker's duels therefore I can't estimate chances.

However I remember that after a victory in Ali's last fight and his Turner on boxing at once told that Lineker will be the following rival. I think if Alishka wins this fight, after one more victory will be able to apply for a title of the champion.

- Very probably, after all in case of a victory, in a rating Ali is higher there are only Joseph Benavides and John Dodson.

- I saw how Ali sparred with Dodson in Greg Jackson's hall. In general, we well communicated with Dodson. He is the positive guy. In America all sparrings rather rigid, and I saw how Ali played in all the American.

However Dodson is all the same dangerous. It very rigidly beats knees. I for the first time in life saw that the person from one jump struck three accented blows with knees. Though it is lower than Ali, but jumps isn't twice higher almost than itself. Certainly, in fight everything will be absolutely in a different way.

- I would look at your sparring with Dodson I (smile).

- Yes, Dodson the dangerous guy (laughs). It very cheerful and pleasant.

- You were with Andrey Orlovsky in Minsk on the Fight Nights tournament: Fight on Nemiga. How to you its fight with Andreas Kraniotakes?

- I watched Andrey's fights when didn't come yet to the mixed single combats. In principle, I liked in those days three fighters: Fedor Emelyanenko, Mirko Kro Kop and Andrey Orlovsky.

I was imposed by an aggressive manner Oryol. Nevertheless I think that for many Russian people it is very difficult to accept the American shocking. According to videos and hearings there was an impression that he is the arrogant guy.

Therefore when we met, I was guarded though always I try to make itself at first impression about the person. Actually Andrey the good and kind guy, despite all his exits with canines.

If to speak about it as about the fighter, it has a good level of shock equipment, but recently it began to work more carefully. I can note that it was surprised how he well feels fight in the case. When you work densely, with it it is very difficult to make something the wrestling base, of course, affects. And here, for example, Travis Brown very poorly feels fight.

I consider that Kraniotakes at all the rival for Oryol, and Andrey could knock out it even earlier. It seems to me, the psychological pressure as he acted on the homeland affected and very strongly was nervous. Nevertheless Andrey made that conceived.

I want to tell that saw how it prepared for a duel, and even when it was very heavy – feet didn't move, hands weren't raised, it all the same finished any exercise.

One of finishing trainings we had a run in dunes, and on the eighth piece we had to bear each other. I thought, it is unreal to make. We twenty went minutes uphill, and I wanted to tell it already: "Andrey, will suffice, and you feet will destroy that", but he reached. Here such he rested, probably, therefore he also was the champion of UFC.

- Alexey Oleynik was signed in UFC. As you think how it will prove in new promotion?

- I not the fan to build forecasts as MMA is a sport in which it can beat all fight, and it will take and will strangle the opponent at the end. For example, the duel with Mirko Kro Kop was such.

Whatever old Mirko was, I don't think that his combative level fell. Perhaps endurance has less now or animal thirst of a victory, but all the same it was very dangerous. However Oleynik completely took the initiative and strangled him.

Certainly, in UFC there are many good fighters with level of fight not worse, than at Oleynik. Nevertheless there is a wish to believe that at it everything will turn out, and I will support it. We will look as everything will go.

- Whether it is heavy to stay in the USA without family?

- Yes, to me it is very heavy when the family isn't present nearby. Constantly I think of them. When they nearby, I feel more surely and more quietly.

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