You mentioned that Aleksander Emelianenko, is the world Sambo champion, and that he is far more talented than you are. Do you exaggerate?

Fedor: Not at all. I'm not a genius athlete, like many people think. My brother has a phenomenal talent. But he lacks in work ethic. That's why I'm higher in the ratings. My brother keeps going in and out of the top 10.

Do you two spar?

Fedor: No. We live in different cities. I live in Stary Oskol, and travel all over the world. Brother settled down in Petersburg. We rarely see each other.

They say Aleksander was even in prison?

Fedor: It's true. They gave him five years, but released him before that. Three and a half years.

He was charged with a robbery?

Fedor: There were many episodes. Don't want to bring up the past.

Is it an accomplishment to lose 3 years and be able to return to the ring?

Fedor: No. In his case it's far from an accomplishment. Even though 3 and a half years really held back his growth as an athlete. And in the social life Aleksander became different. Prison really made its imprint. His outlook on life has changed, and it seems, not in a good way.

You and him are totally different?

Fedor: Yes. I'm sure those things could not have happened to me. During the time when Aleksander was looking for adventures on his rear end, I killed myself training. I had a goal - to reach something in sport.

If Fedor Emelianenko is very pleasant to speak to, his brother has a scary image. You can't just come up to him. And even Fedor, who's related to the man calls him only "Aleksander" In Russian Aleksander is an official name, and you usually wouldn't call your brother like that. Sasha, or some other nickname is usually used to call someone close.

One time, Emelianenko junior shed the light on his tattoos in an interview, most of which he got as a reminder of places not so far away.

Fedor: Every tattoo has a place - he said - On my right arm I have a Church with 5 bells. Each bell is for a year of incarceration. Stars on the shoulders mean that the man lives according to his own principles. Stars on the knees say "I will never kneel". Another tattoo, pirate, stands for article 167 of criminal law - robbery. I have many more tattoos on my body: Writing in Latin reads "Luck looks upon the Brave", and in German "God with us". Below the elbow - a head, half cat half human skull. It means: A man is a wolf to another man. This phrase is one of my principles. A web on the shoulder. God's mother on my back, aphorisms on my feet.