"Forbade me to perform": Russian Emelianenko explains why he does not fight in the UFC

Russian mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Alexander Emelianenko has called the inability to enter the United States the main reason he is not being called up to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The 42-year-old athlete also accused UFC head Dana White of "tightening the screws" on Russian representatives.

Emelianenko said this in an interview with the YouTube channel "On Sports with Monto," Sport24 reports. Emelianenko Jr., who suffers from alcohol addiction, emphasized that White allegedly banned Russians from competing even in amateur competitions.

"I'm just not traveling to America. I'm ready to go fight tomorrow, to show good spectacular fights. I just can't go to America, I can't get a visa. That's why I can't fight in the UFC. And it's not profitable for the UFC to have me fight in Russia one day and disappear. Dana White tightened the screws on us so much back in the day that he even forbade us to compete in amateur sports. We had to perform only for him, to obey him. We had to do every step almost on cue. And we have been popularizing sambo all our lives!" Emelianenko was outraged.

Earlier, Alexander's brother Fedor Emelianenko expressed his desire to fight former UFC champion Francis Ngannou under the rules of boxing.

As OBOZ.UA previously reported, legendary MMA fighter Fedor Emelianenko ridiculed Russian athletes who are only able to win awards at competitions in the aggressor country.

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