Almost all of the talk leading up to Saturday night's Affliction show has centered on the headliner in the main event, Fedor Emelianenko. But there's another Emelianenko brother fighting Saturday night, Fedor's younger brother Aleksander Emelianenko, who faces Paul Buentello on the undercard.
Aside from Fedor taking on Randy Couture, there may be no heavyweight fight in mixed martial arts that would get the attention of the Emelianenko brothers fighting each other, but Aleksander, who answered my questions this week with translating help from his publicist, told me that will never happen.
"We will never fight against each other, there is no question about it," Aleksander said. "We got many various offers on the fight with each other, but there is no thought even close to accept it. We are brothers, we are the same blood, we love each other and support each other in any aspect."
I think the media would be all over two brothers stepping into the ring or cage together, and it would attract a lot of attention for the sport. But the Emelianenko brothers (like boxing's Klitschko brothers) insist it will never happen. The Shamrock brothers (who are adopted and did not grow up together) have said they're open to fighting each other some day, so if we're ever going to have a brother vs. brother media spectacle, that's probably the one we'll see.
Aleksander said the fans who label Fedor the best fighter in the world are right: "Yes, I agree that Fedor today is the strongest MMA fighter," Aleksander said. "I see myself near the top, fighting only the best and strongest opponents. I am interested in fighting those fights and in winning them."
Aleksander also mentioned his younger brother, the novice MMA fighter Ivan, and said that they all take the same approach to the sport. "All three of us brothers Emelianenko are complete fighters," he said. "We don't use just striking, just grappling or just submissions."
As for Saturday night, when Aleksander is a heavy favorite to defeat Buentello, he said, "We will show an interesting fight, I expect a strong opponent and a worthy resistance and I plan on winning."
