Aidar Makhmetov

Born: 11.02.1979 in Astana, Kazakhstan

1998:   Asian Pankration Champion.
2001:   Winner of the Ultimate Grappling Challenge II.
2001:   German Submission Wrestling Champion
2002:   World Champion in Karate-Shidokan (Switzerland).
2002 –2003:   SHIDO MMA - World champion (Germany).

Could you tell us a little about the development of MMA in your home country of Kazakhstan?

ÌÌÀ has been in Kazakhstan since the Nineteenth Centaury. The development of ÌÌÀ began with Pankration, which continues to develop even to this day. My former trainer Erik Assenov, is now the president of the Asian Pankration Federation, which helps this development.

The first competitions were in Russia and other countries of CIS. However, these competitions were very rare in Kazakhstan. At the time, fighters fought in helmets with iron visors and six ounce gloves.

Kazakhstan’s first serious MMA competition happened in 1998, when Oleg Taktarov defeated Moti Horenstein in Almaty. The first professional Pankration competition (without the helmets and protective equipment) was for the crown of Asian Pankration Champion in December, 1998. This was held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Each fight was held over 5 x 2 minute rounds. It was in one of these bouts that I became the champion in weight of 55 kg, by beating World Kickboxing Champion Akmal Zakirov (Uzbekistan) by Kimura in the second round.
 
There are now annual Eurasian Pankration Championships in Kazakhstan. This year the Asian Pankration Federation hosted the - 70 kg (155 Pounds) World Championships and invited the best fighters of the CIS. The level of competition was very high, but there were no fighters from further abroad. The rules for these fights were 2 x 5 minute rounds with a one minute time limit on the ground to make it fair for both strikers and wrestlers.

MMA is becoming more and more popular in Kazakhstan. Pankration is not the only popular Full Contact Martial Art in Kazakhstan. Free – Fight and Karate-Irigumi are also practiced.

What is the public perception of MMA in Kazakhstan?

Even now, the public opinion of ÌÌÀ is that it is a more of a spectacle, than as sport. People overlook the fact, that in ÌÌÀ the fight is just as likely to finish on the ground as it is by Knock Out.

MMA competitions always attract a lot of spectators. MMA regularly makes the TV and newspapers. The fighters of Kazakhstan regularly participate in many fights abroad, mostly in Russia (for example, MFC and Russian Pankration).

Have you had the opportunity to compete in Kazakhstan?

Yes, certainly! I had an opportunity to make it my career in Kazakhstan, but to do this it would be necessary to choose between the career of a sportsman or a state official. I have chosen the career of the state official.

Which other sports are popular in Kazakhstan? What is the national sport?

The most popular kinds of sports in Kazakhstan are Boxing, Wrestling (Greco-Roman and Free-Style), Judo and Kickboxing. Kazakhstan won gold in Boxing at the last three Olympic Games.

There is also the National style of wrestling called Kazakhsha-Kures (Kazakh Wrestling). It resembles Sambo but without wrestling on the ground, and without captures of hands or legs of the contender.

I hear that you also take part in a sport called 'Wrestling Basketball', That sounds awesome! What does that involve? 

Wresting Basketball is a mix of basketball, wrestling and rugby. It is also named Rugball. Easier to say, it is basically basketball without rules. You don’t have to bounce the ball, you just have to get it in the basket. A basket is worth one point. Competitors can knock your hands, snatch, push, throw and wrestle with the person holding the ball.

I play on the same team as the Minister of Sports for Kazakhstan, Daulet Tourlykhanov. Daulet Tourlykhanov is former World, European and Asian Greco-Roman Wrestling Champion. He is also a medal winner of Olympic Games in Seoul and Barcelona.

I play many other well-known sportsmen and politicians. The games are always tough and it is necessary to have excellent calisthenics to sustain three games in an evening.


What inspired you to become an MMA fighter?
 
I began training in Judo at the age of nine. By the age of fifteen, I held a brown belt in Judo and Sambo and I was the winner of the under seventeen Kazakhstani Championships. Unfortunately I have since received a serious injury (a dislocation of the left shoulder joint) and I could not compete at top-level Judo.

At that time Pankration was gaining popularity. I remember when I saw the first UFC videotapes and I was very impressed by Royce Gracie, Oleg Taktarov, Vitor Belfort and especially Frank Shamrock.

I began Pankration a half-year later. I took third place in the Russian Open Championships and my heart belonged to the world of ÌÌÀ from that moment onwards!


Which of your titles are you most proud of?

My biggest Championship victory was winning the Shidokan Karate World Cup in Switzerland, March, 2002 and the Shido World Championship belt in 2002-2003. I am also proud that I did not lose one fight in my entire MMA career!

Could you please tell us about your training schedule?

These days I train four times a week. Two times - wrestling basketball and two times free-fight.

On training on free-fight I rent a hall, where I train with six people. All of them are my brothers, cousins or friends. I set up a different plan for each training session.

Before each training session, we cross run 1500 meters with sprints every 100 meters. After that, we practice Submission Wrestling, Submission Fighting and Boxing. Sometimes we team up with so we have two against one, but that is more for street self-defense techniques.

When I was fighting professionally, I trained six times a week.

Monday – Jiu Jitsu and Kickboxing,
Tuesday and Thursday – Boxing,
Wednesday and Friday - Judo,
Saturday – long-distance run.

Before Important competitions, I would train twice a day.

I hear you are an educated man and recently graduated from University with an MA in Economics. How did you manage to balance your training and study?
 
In 2000, I graduated from the Eurasian National University Astana specializing as a German language Interpreter. I then left for Kassel University in Germany, where in November, 2002 I received Master of Arts in Economics.

It was hard to consistently combine good study with the daily trainings, but I have gradually got used to it. It was especially difficult in Germany, where including this I had also to work to pay my bills. I would occasionally get paid for winning fights, but this money was very little.

What do you do for a living now?

I now work as the director of Department of commercialization at the JSC “Engineering and Technology Transfer Center” in Astana. It is very important state work where we work to encourage the development of innovative technologies in Kazakhstan.

My ultimate goal is a solid political career.

Do you have any heroes in the fight game?

I like Fedor Emelianenko, Oleg Taktarov, Vitor Belfort, BJ Penn, Wanderlei Silva. But most of all I like Frank Shamrock. I think he is the perfect ‘complete’ fighter. He combines good impact techniques with the perfect ground game! I would like to see him fight against Wanderlei Silva.

Which country or promotion would you most like to compete in, and why? 

If I could do it all again, I would like to have liked to fight at Ultimate Combat in England. I did get an offer to fight for their Championship in 2003. I believe I had a good chance to win the Championship. I am grateful for their offer, but at the time I had no strong motivation to fight. Now I do regret it that I did not fight there. It was a good promotion that pleased the fans and the fighters.

To win their championship would have opened the road to UFC and in due course even compete in Pride’s Lightweight Tournament

But it is a dream and it will remain un-realized.

Do you feel most comfortable fighting on the ground, or standing?

At the beginning of my career I would have preferred to fight on the ground. I have a good base of locks and chokes from Judo. Gradually though, I improved my hands and feet techniques to a very high level.

So, by the end of my career I was equally happy to fight standing or on the ground depending on my opponent’s preference. 

What do you feel to be the downside of being a fighter? How do you deal with this?

I hate to loose! If I loose, the loss torments me for months! There are some losses that happened a long time ago and I cannot forget, even now!

But I try and learn from my defeats and not repeat the mistakes in the future.

Are you strict with your diet?

When I trained, I usually made weight at 67-68 kg (148-150 Pounds). For competitions I usually aimed for 65 kg (143, Pounds). To achieve that weight I would cease to eat bread, which would help a little.

My last fight was the exception. I had been on vacation in Kazakhstan. I had just graduated from the University of Kassel and my weight had risen to 74kg (163 pounds) I had to start a diet as soon as I returned to Germany. My weight returned to 65kg after 6 weeks and has remained there. I like this weight, as I feel fresh strong and fit at 65kg.
 

Can you tell us a little more about your last fight? 

I have mentioned this fight already (Shido World Title Fight at Fist of Fury 2 in Germany - Images above).

I prepared for this fight for two months. I find planning my preparation very well helps me to fight better. I had time for good planning and preparation for this fight. I kept a daily diary, in which I noted my condition, state of health, weight and mood.

I was to fight Brian Davis from the USA for the Shido Lightweight World Title. I had already faced him once before and beat him in the third round by Guillotine Choke. But that fight was without full contact shots to the head of the other competitor. This fight however would be full rules and I was very pleased about this.

I can honestly say that I do not believe that Brian Davis deserved the right to fight for the Shido Title. There are other competitors who are better than he but at the time he was rated as Number One in Shido MMA, so he was put forward for the fight.

Before the fight, I found an interview with Brian Davis on the Internet. In the interview he said that he would take my belt. I laughed long at these words because I knew I was in great condition and he would be lucky to last a round with me.

Before leaving for the fight, I called Branch Chief of Shido MMA (Germany), Peter Angerer. I asked Peter what the rule was for weighing in. Peter said that if I weighed in over the limit I would forfeit the match.

The weight limit was – 65kg. I weighed in at 64.6kg and Brian weighed in at 65.6kg. I thought that Brian would have to cut the excess weight before the fight. Peter and Brian talked after the weigh in and I saw Brian eating and drinking a lot. I then saw that this fight was already decided before it happened. I knew that if it went to the Judges they would almost certainly rule in favor of Brian because Brian was a more active ‘Shido’ fighter.

I knew I would beat him within the time limit but the only thing that worried me was that I may re-dislocate my shoulder.

Before the fight I stayed totally focused. I stayed in my locker room and did not watch the other fights.  I was one hundred percent prepared mentally and physically and extremely confident that I would win.

I knew I would take the fight to Brian in stand up, as I know he prefers the ground. I immediately rushed him and gave him a right hook which rocked him. I did not give him the chance to throw me, or pull guard. When the time was right, I took full mount, threw more punches and finished him with an armbar. I was so psyched that I did not realize Brian had tapped out. I certainly did not mean to do him harm and there was no malicious intention at all.

I had beautifully beat him in only 45 seconds!

After the fight, I went to Brian’s Locker Room to wish him all the best and to say sorry for holding on to the armbar for too long. But he pushed me out of the way and shouted “F**k You!” I offered my hand to shake, but he just continued with the insults. I thought it was a bad thing for him to do, and unlike a man.

After that fight, I was offered the fight at Ultimate Combat (who were present at the event) but I had little motivation after that fight. I was tired of fighting and needed a rest. I made the decision to leave the sport. I worked in a consultancy company in Germany and at the General Concil of Kazakhstan in Germany.

In March 2004, I returned to Kazakhstan.

So that was your last fight? What is next for you?

I will never fight again. I reached the top and achieved my dream. I am three-time World Champion. I now have another purpose in life. I want to concentrate on my business career. I have also married and recently my daughter was born.

I am very contented with my life. 

What has been your favorite fighting memory?

From the technical side, I would undoubtedly say my last fight with Brian Davis. However, I fought six rounds against Marko Bonjoavanni (France) and I beat him beautifully too.

Anyone to thank/ anything to add?

I would like to say that I am grateful to Allah and my parents for all my successes in study and sports.

I would also like to thank my Judo instructor Serguei Furmanchuk, who taught me to fight on the ground. I want to thank the Minister of Sports of Kazakhstan, Daulet Tourlykhanov, who has supported and encouraged me throughout my sports successes. Thanks to my brother Oirat, who has always been my sparring partner, and also thanks to my sparring partners in Germany Joergk Muetzel and Kai Schroeder.

And thanks to Ben Neil who has not forgotten me, in spite of the fact that in this world there are many other fighters who are much better than I.

Thanks for this interview. Your attention was very pleasant for me!