The Fight Nights company for short history of the existence managed to climb up a top of the Russian Olympus of the mixed martial arts literally. Unlike competitors on business (M-1, PROFC), this promotion sets as the purpose not only to reveal the strongest fighters, but also to be remembered to the audience. The emphasis is placed on an entertaining component. Under the arches of this company Rasoul Mirzayev became the Black Tiger, and Ali Bagautinov came to a duel on a throne and with a crown on the head.

It is pleasant that it is considered to be this promotion Dagestan. And by number of the compatriots taking in it part, and on the people standing behind its carrying out. One of them – Kamil Gadzhiev (on a photo). In the past the fighter, is engaged now both promotion of the company, and advance of athletes in the leading organizations of the world. This person the first in Russia decided to unite professional sports and acting. About Rasoul Mirzayev, MMA prospects in Russia, comparison of the mixed single combats with boxing, financial opportunities of the Legend tournament, hopelessness of prospects of UFC in Russia and that the Dagestan audience never will learn to pay for tickets for combative show, in Kamil Gadzhiev's exclusive interview to our newspaper.

– Kamil, we will begin conversation with the last significant event for your company, though what to dissemble, and for all Russia – Ali Bagautinov's successful debut in UFC. How you estimate Nokautyor's performance, and also his chances of a champion belt?

– To speak about a champion belt early, but the debut was set, of course. Madly pleasant event though anything supernatural, believe, didn't occur. Ali long ago the best in Russia in this weight, and the best in Russia – Nurmagomedov, Habilov, Amagov is already UFC quality mark.

– Ali's weight category (57 kg) – the smallest in UFC roaster. In your opinion, through how many successful duels to Bagautinov can offer title fight?

– I think that through 3 duels it will have a fight for a title. But while early to think.

– Rasoul Mirzayev still fighter of your company? In October it is expected by two duels, one of them in Thailand. What plans at you concerning Mirzayev's career? Whether there is a hope to sign it in Dena White's company?

– It should be noted only that expression "still" not too pertinently in this case (laughs). I think that Rasoul from the beginning and until the end of career will pass all the way with us. Its legal status in Russia, to put it mildly, confuses the American promoters. I think that it will be possible to return to conversation on its signing after some time.

– Whom else from fighters of your company plan to sign in well-known "octagon"?

–  Ruslan Magomedov – the heavyweight, all leading promotions feel need in qualified fighter.  Today Ruslan is connected by the relations with Bellator, think that we will find a compromise, and it starts in UFC.

– To other your star, Vitaly Minakov whom it is already accepted to name by the second Feodor, it is necessary soon a duel with compatriot Alexander Volkov for a rank of the champion of Bellator. Personally my opinion that Minakov will overcome talented Volkov. It doesn't seem to you, what such fighter as Minakov has to be in UFC nevertheless? After all, in case of such decision and if Vitaly it becomes valid the champion, it will be much more difficult to make it …

– We are happy with the contract which today Vitaly has with Bellator. Objectively UFC – promotion number one constantly is present at the world, but Bellator on wide Russian screens that is serious argument for participation of our athletes in fights of this promotion. As for chances in a duel Minakov – Volkov, will win this fight tactics.

– Kamil, there is a wish to concern a little unpleasant subject. One of your top fighters, Stanislav Molodtsov, became recently the participant of the tragic incident similar to a case of Mirzayev. Whether Molodtsov's destiny is known to you, you maintain with him relation?

–  About an event I learned from the Internet, an unpleasant and tragic case, of course.

– Your Fight Nights company for short time of the existence already became a brand. You can call key factors of success of your company and designate the direction to which it is necessary to move further?

– Help Supreme, professionalism of fighters and producers and harmonious team work.

– MMA as a type of professional sports how show it is paid back?

– We pay back if to speak about all dividends which we receive in a complex. To this kind of activity it is impossible to treat as business in pure form – the ruble enclosed also two removed. Our main dividends are our victories.

– Tell how you came to this business. MMA, in your opinion, is a sport in which rich people can be put, expecting the fastest return, or it is rather a patronage, a hobby?

– I didn't come to this business. We with Bath Hasikov simply left the sports hall and decided to change the life and life of those who is engaged in single combats. We were lucky with partners therefore everything turned out. The industry is ready to interact with business structures, times of patronage remained in the past, everyone who invested today money in MMA, will receive return.

– You can compare a level of development of the mixed single combats and professional boxing? Both in the world, and in Russia.

– In the world professional boxing – top sports, a brand. In my opinion, it concedes only to soccer and hockey. In Russia professional boxing develops. The fact that there take place fights of level of Klitschko – Povetkin – to it confirmation. Comparing two industries, I can tell only that both are in Russia at the initial stage of the development.

– What do you think of opinion that MMA already eclipsed boxing. Whether so it, in your opinion? And what you how the functionary, adopted from professional boxing? No matter, in what segments: preparation of athletes, their promotion, relations with television …

– At boxing very rich history, ratings of fighters clear for inhabitant. Boxers раскомлексованы also are artistic – work with the viewer. It that we should adopt.

– In professional boxing few other model of business. In it big money, but meanwhile and a set of undercurrents, intrigues turns. In MMA all differently. There is a monopolist – UFC, – and nearby it is more than anybody. In your opinion, if in MMA, as well as in professional boxing, there would be three-four strongest organizations, it would suit in development of the mixed single combats?

– Them already at least three – UFC, Bellator and Fight Nights (laughs). Further – it is more. Main, certainly, not quantity, and quality, but objectively, the more young ambitious promotions in Russia, the better for all of us.

– Tell how work of your company is under construction, Fight Nights? What tasks you solve to what you aspire, and whether it is difficult to get under the aegis your management group? What requirements you show to the potential fighter of Fight Nights?

– Today our efforts are equally turned on development of promotion business, management of fighters, creation of a TV-content and retail network of sales of souvenir products. In management experts from sports shop, and also the art director of our company work. Fighters of Fight Nights team are faced by a complex of tasks: increase of level sports and acting, learning of foreign languages etc. I am ready to a hard work – come to Fight Nights.

– You can call the main qualities of the fighter, which existence to it guarantees love of public and interest from promoters?

– As I already told, it is insufficiently simple to be the good athlete (though it is the main criterion), it is necessary to be also the showman (laughs).

– Let's pass to a subject of preparation of fighters. Whether really to live in Russia, to train on the homeland and to prepare for duels abroad? Whether it is possible to show good results at such model? For example, at present such fighters are Ali Bagautinov and Vitaly Minakov.

– All our fighters combine training process in Russia with departures abroad – the USA, Brazil, Thailand, the Netherlands. It should be noted that every day in Russia more and more conditions for high-quality training process. Bagautinov to the last prepared in Moscow, carried out collecting on boxing and a greppling.

– In what essential difference of preparation of domestic fighters and foreign? You can call major factors in which we lag behind, for example, Americans, Brazilians? And in what, on the contrary, them we surpass?

– Basic preparation (that it is accepted to call school) at our fighters higher. Foreigners, as a rule, are better ready functionally – the western technologies and pharmacology do the part.

– Tell about the closest tournaments of your company, what the interesting expects the audience?

– On October 4 in Grozny we will hold the Fight on Terek tournament, on October 26 – "Fight-13" in Moscow Ruslan Magomedov's fight against Tim Silvia becomes which apogee, on November 29 – "Fight in Minsk", in the main event of evening of the audience Andrey Orlovskogo's duel against Andreas Kroniatakis waits. Rasoul Mirzayev иМурад Machayev will carry out on three fights until the end of the year in Asia, Mineev – in Europe, Minakov and Bagautinov – in America.

– Ruslan Magomedov's fight against the died-away star, Tim Silvia. Clear business, Silvia – the eminent fighter, but already extinct. Inviting to tournaments by the main star of the fighter of the pension period, the company doesn't risk the reputation?

– I hope that the extinct star won't be lit on October 26 (laughs). In tournament of 11 qualitative duels, enjoy.

– Whether you consider the competitor promotion "Legend"? Whether it is pleasant to you how they work? Also be at you the same financial opportunities, what you would change on their place in the Legend tournament?

– And you are informed on our financial opportunities (laughs)?

– It is more visible to you...

– We hold 7 tournaments a year, and all of them have adequate cost. I take off a hat before organizers of "Legend" – tournament and the truth cool. I hope that their fuse will suffice for a long time if money ends, favor I ask to us behind financial consultations.

– There are transparent hints that just about the UFC company will come to Russia. As far as it is realistic and if yes, whom you see from Russia on this tournament, except for those fighters who are already signed in UFC? As far as it everything is interesting to Americans? Russian market? How they can earn here, on what?

– You shouldn't create illusions into the account of the Russian market. UFC will hold tournament in Russia, will collect a hall with a capacity of 2 000 people. Ivent-business1 in Russia (especially in the sphere of single combats) – thin science. Also I pay your attention that we with America in diametrically different time zones, and this tournament will be lost for the American viewer. UFC, Welcome to Russia! Thus It should be noted that we are ready to render the maximum assistance to carrying out the UFC tournament in Russia, at least already for the reason that our Ali will take part in it.

– Question of relationship with television. What it is necessary to make in MMA industry that from such factor as a live broadcast promotions, are more right leading promotions, could start earning? And not the reverse, to pay for translations …

– And who pays for translations? !

– Practically all local промошены our country. Dagestan it is exact...

We have fine relationship with the Russia-2 channel. event we receive for everyone from the channel so much money, how many it really costs.

– Kamil, you the Dagestani, know the Dagestan market of single combats. How you consider, in our republic it is easier to raise fighters, than to organize global tournaments on purpose not only to popularize sports, a healthy lifestyle, but also to earn on it money? How to accustom the Dagestan fans to culture of rest on tribunes, to what to descend on MMA is the same rest how to go to restaurant or movie theater? You can make so? And second question: how to teach Dagestanis to buy tickets?

– Dagestanis didn't buy tickets for house tournaments, don't buy and won't buy. We will be objective: to the promoters holding tournaments in Dagestan, it is necessary to look for other ways of receiving profit – not sale of tickets! Creating conditions for free visits of tournaments on single combats in Dagestan, we pay a tribute our small, but the proud Homeland for that huge number of outstanding athletes whom it trained.

– If to you offered a post in the ministry of sports of Russia what would change? Call the main problems of the Russian sports and a way of their decision. And just the same question concerning the Dagestan sports …

– I didn't reflect on this subject. The Russian sports very decently look on international scenes, and Dagestan – on Russian. Let's rejoice to that is.

Author:

Temirlan Temukayev