Taktarov: Real championship ended in the 90s

MMA pioneer Oleg Taktarov recently conducted an extensive interview with Artem Safarav for Sports.ru, excerpted below. Taktarov was the UFC 6 tournament champion, and holds wins over Marco Ruas, “Tank” Abbott, and Mark Kerr, among many others. He moved from fighting to acting, his original goal when he came to America.

Taktarov has found cinematic success in both his homeland and Hollywood, appearing in 15 Minutes, Bad Boys II, Air Force One among others, in television series including NCIS and Alias, and a number of Russian films and series. He also runs an organization is Russia to further the practice of mixed martial arts.

Taktarov spoke with some bitterness about the Union of Russian MMA, which is headed by Fedor Emelianenko, and receives backing from the government. By contrast, Taktarov’s Russian Federation MMA is independent.

ArtemSafarav:Why do we so rarely hear about the Russian Federation MMA, which you head?

Oleg Taktarov: Over the past year, our Federation received four complaints from the Ministry of Sports under the signature of a famous athlete. Now getting accreditation is not possible, as a buffer between the Ministry of Sports and the organizers of the tournament was the Union of Russian MMA. Do you want something to hold? Then pay a tidy sum in the “Union.”

If you do not, then the Ministry of Sports receives a complaint addressed to the governor of the region, where you hold the competition. Legally, you can still hold tournaments, but the governors are usually afraid of conflict with the Ministry of Sports and refuse to carry out activities in its territory.

AS: Why do you have such difficulty?

OT: Because we are perceived as competitors to another well-known promotion. Unfortunately, some functionaries and bureaucrats love of money prevails over love for the sport. And those who could work with us to develop children’s and amateur sports, do their best to work against us. The truth is that even if we have ten Federations, we still can not cover the entire market.

While some are trying to work more, others simply write denunciations. I do not want to participate in this “cockroach in a bottle fight,” where we do everything to prevent each other from getting out.

AS: You are much criticized for involving children in MMA competitions that you respond to critics?

OT: We conducted our children and youth tournaments for seven years, and during that time we have not had a single injury among participants. We have accumulated vast experience we would like to share. Children are divided into age groups, with certain rules for each. The youngest children, from 8 years, almost do not cause each other strikes. They work mostly on the ground. That is their main focus is on the fight. Of course, they all wear protective gear, and the rules are very severely limit any traumatic action and techniques.

The rules more or less close to the adult MMA begin only in the age group “16 years.” But elbows, knees and punches on the ground. are forbidden. Starting to learn MMA from childhood to adulthood, the athlete will approach has a serious base. The main thing is to prepare the child properly and safely. In particular, the Union of MMA insists that engage in this sport can only be 18 years old. But could our great champions to reach such heights if have started to engage in mixed martial arts so late? All that is being done in the Russian MMA looks as if someone had deliberately created conditions that our guys could not win in the international arena.

We had almost 80 regions in which we have prepared a huge number of children. And then we started being slandered, and I was faced with opposition from other organizations. Why do I need this? I do not make money, but is in a position where should still something to prove them.

AS: How will you develop the sport further?

OT: Now I am preparing a large-scale project based in the US, which will be focused directly on the two markets – America and Russia. The main focus of the project will be placed on the development of Sambo, to adapt it to the new realities of the event. In fact, we are creating a new sport. However, in the US it will be positioned slightly differently than in Russia. But the important thing is that we will no longer be dependent on anybody.

AS: So Sambo can enjoy the same popularity as MMA?

OT: When I won UFC 6, it gave a great impetus to the development of Sambo. Sambo popularity began to grow around the world. At the moment, unfortunately, we can see a strong decline in interest. So now I’ve decided to take another step to promote this sport. However, we decided to modify Sambo in order to be up to date. In fact, the difference between the option Sambo, which I want to develop in the world of MMA and that we are developing in Russia – is minimal. These are already interested in certain people, investors. I want to do something new, based on my sports, acting and promotional experience. And perhaps most surprising and ingenious solution was to combine all this into one comprehensive program.

AS: Tell us about the lessons that you learned form life?

OT: One of the main lessons: when you lie – it always comes back to you. Thanks to some of the stars of the past and, in particular, Steven Seagal, I realized how important it is respectful to his fans. When you achieve great heights, do not forget their roots, the basis from which you came. Don’t turn away from those who have helped you in hard times, who were at the beginnings. Because when your popularity will decline, they first come to your aid.

AS: How strong is the first UFC tournaments differ from those carried out now?

OT: It was a different time. Battles were still on the original rules, which were no rules.

Who are the perfect fighters now? Anyone who injected steroids and went 5 minutes to show the judges that he is stronger? The real battle may last a day or two, and a week. Back then the rounds were not limited to five minutes and the battle lasted about half an hour usually. Why do half an hour? Because somewhere after 18-minutes breaks a fighter. When there is no time limit, the fighter does not know how long the fight. Therefore, while the victory depended more on the strength of your will.

AS: How do you win at UFC 6?

OT: When I came to the US, I had not even been able to eat normally. As soon as I got food and the opportunity to train, the fight was only two months away. I was not the biggest or the strongest fighter, but I was sure that I cannot break. My opponents felt that confidence. The first ten minutes they dominated, and then saw that I did not give up and break.

These days the fighter is enough to show activity to win by decision, and he knows that, in any case, within five minutes round will be stopped for a break. By the way, I already had developed an original and effective system of a fighter. In a short time world-class form can be achieved. For 20 years I have refined this system, polished it in seminars and workshops, proved its worth. In the near future I will make sure that it will be available to everyone.

AS: How did the tournament UFC 6?

OT: To become a UFC champion 6, I had three fights in one night. Imagine that you do not just need to win the battle, and make it so that the remaining strength for the next battle, and behind him – one more. And then, the difference in weight was just tremendous. You could go into battle with a weight of 90 kg (200 lbs) and your opponent 120 kg (265 lbs). By the way, I recently read “experts” who said, “Oleg Taktarov was not a champion of UFC.”

AS: I think it’s because UFC 6 tournament is considered, and you call the winner of this tournament …

OT: What is the UFC? Ultimate Fighting Championship. And the winner of the championship – a champion. They then began to have a single battle, which was called Super Fight. In fact, now the people who receive title are champions in a super-fight. And this tournament actually ended in 90th. Championships should be the championship. And one fight – it’s just one fight.

AS: What is the meaning of life?

OT: Realize that life itself is interesting. Life builds character. You ned to treat life as an interesting experience. At 29 years, I was worried that my life did not take place. At 34 – I thought that I had accomplished nothing. At 40 – that to me is nothing supernatural is happening. You can guess that I compared myself with the great historical figures. And at 42, I woke up and realized – how cool that I have the opportunity to get my own experience, to live my own life! It is so interesting!

AS: How to live an interesting life?

OT: Everyone has their own idea about the interesting life. For me it is constant movement. Uses proven techniques for years: when you’re too good, then you need to pull yourself out of your comfort zone.

Here is one example. I went to Hollywood in 1995, I left in Nizhny Novgorod a business, which brought in very good money. That year was good, I did not have any fights, no problem.

But I was haunted by the fact that all was too well and I do not aspire to anything. Then I took 4.5 thousand dollars, bought a plane ticket, and flew to the United States. I went to America, because I had a dream to act in films. I was hoping to find for myself something new and went for my dream.

Before I could leave, half the business in our area died. The others began major problems as most everything collapsed. And at the same time I began a brand new life – I won the championship of the UFC and received my first offer to act in films.

AS: How do we not lose heart?

OT: Once I was on a London to Moscow flight with two British businessmen. Due to bad weather it was announced that the plane would be landing in St. Petersburg. People began to wail like an old grandmother. All complained.

What happened to them, too, was a nuisance, but they took this quite differently than I did. It was adventure! Something interesting. Try to treat these crises like that. You live and your task is to live this life interestingly. Only then, perhaps, the universe will be able to take you to some next level. And if you do not, then you go back to this planet, because you do not get in this life is the experience that they could. Do not wallow in one place. Much more interesting to try something, get a new, more extensive experience.

My theory is that when everything in life is very good, this is bad. More recently, we have petrodollars flowed freely. For me – it was awful. The jammed everywhere, smug face, alcohol, drug addiction. Because of what is happening? People had too much money and free time. If you have a goal and responsibility for someone, you’re not going to spend my life on drugs and alcohol. That will not happen.

Read entire interview… (original Russian)