Shortly following his early release from prison on parole, Alexander Emelianenko appeared with his wife on Russian talk show ‘Show and Tell’ where he delved into life in prison.
According to Emelianenko, who was convicted of sexual assault, “kidnapping” by withholding a passport, and the forced use of “narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances” on a 27-year-old house maid, he was not seen as a celebrity of sorts in prison. Instead, he spent most of his time staying in shape and reading books.
“We are two people in a cell,” Emelianenko explained. “There’s the usual, ordinary people and are constantly changing. At first it was uncomfortable. But then you get used to it and you feel normal. We started doing athlete programs together.”
Given the repetitiveness of prison life, Emelianenko struggled with his overall redundant lifestyle. He regularly questioned how he would complete the four-and-a-half year sentence he was originally given but eventually settled into a training routine.
“The days are absolutely similar. Due to the limited closed space there is nothing for a person to occupy themselves. And so – nothing happens. I read books like “Faust.” When I was alone, from idleness, I began to do squats and push-ups. Had time to do more than 300 squats but I didn’t want to sweat because there was no place to bathe in the chamber. At the prison, you could go to the gym for an extra charge. I went every day.”
After serving a little more than a year of his sentence, Emelianenko was released on parole with three years remaining on his sentence because of “good behaviour.” During the broadcast, Emelianenko reiterated his innocence and refused to recognize the rape and trauma he had caused, instead referring to it as “mutual consent.”
All that remains of his of legal punishment for a heinous act is “two years and 23 days of correctional labor with a 10% deduction of the convict’s salary going to the state.” The work schedule will keep Emelianenko busy, though he does not expect it to interfere with his plans to return to MMA in 2017.
“I do not care with whom I fight,” the 24-7 Emelianenko told MatchTV. “I want to be prepared to meet with the organizers and face foreign athletes. Why should Russians fight each other?”
Listen to Karim Zidan discuss Alexander Emelianenko’s return and its implications on the Russian MMA scene here.
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